


His Pride

by InkAndLattes



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Criminal Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Detective verse, Insane! Eren, M/M, More tags need to be added...Another time., Planned Alternate Endings, boss! Armin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2017-09-29
Packaged: 2018-07-16 00:26:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 25
Words: 28,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7244821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkAndLattes/pseuds/InkAndLattes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Following the events of 'Two Sides of the Same Coin', Eren is still trying to avoid suspicion of more than one murder. With one obstacle out of the way, he feels he is ready for a second round...But Is he really?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Thursday- 5: 00 A.M

**Armin's Place of Comfort-**

**5: 00 A.M**

  
   
"I brought your favorite flowers. Again." I smiled gently, placing a bunch of Lavenders down softly.  
"You've missed a lot...You've missed so much, actually and I wanted to fill you in before I go to work." I fixed my hair slightly as the wind knocked my fringe out of place.  
"First off, I've been promoted straight to 'Head of the Detective Force!" I smiled proudly, giggling at the swirling feeling in my stomach, knowing he was proud too.  
"How it happened? Well...Please don't get angry, because there's a happy ending, but..." I began fiddling with my fingers.  
"You remember Annie, don't you? Eren's working partner? Well, after you shut your eyes, slowly detectives were being killed off one by one and no one knew who it was. That was, until a detective called Hanji came in." I shifted a little.  
"She suspected three people instantly: Eren, Annie and me...I-I didn't do anything, I swear! When Hanji told me that she suspected me, she also told me why and I found that you didn't drift off on your own, I was so over joyed!" I laughed slightly, remembering the day like it was yesterday.  
"So, soon she had narrowed the killer down to Eren...She was wrong, unfortunately. Because Eren knew he wasn't the one killing the detectives, he had been arguing with her...While that was going on...The real killer had a chance to plan something...And that...That was where I came into all of this...It was Annie and two others...They were behind it..." I sniffed slightly, the fear from the memories, the same as from the re-occurring nightmares afterwards, the fear from the nightmares, the same as the fear from the real thing. Tears pricked my eyes slightly.  
"She-They took me...They took me and someone else from the office and drove us away. They...They killed the other person that was with me and used me as bait...For him..." My breathing was uneven as I started to quietly sob.  
"They wanted to kill Eren and the only way to drive him out, was to get his attention. They decided to choose me out of the other people they could have taken. They just kept me in a chair and didn't really hurt me, but I was scared...Really scared...But then Eren came." I sniffed, trying to calm down as tears rolled away from my eyes.  
"Eren came and saved me from them, in the end I turned out fine, but he didn't so much..." I rubbed my arm.  
"He snapped...I saw it...I saw a look in his eyes that I couldn't place...I honestly don't want to think of this, but I think... I think we might have been right about him..." I sighed, another warm tear rolling down my cheek.  
"Remember when you had gotten that report and you came to me? I think we should have said something to Erwin...I think we made a mistake..." I let out a long exhale.  
"Now people are paying dearly for that mistake...I just need one bit of evidence. One bit of solidified evidence to convict him of the murders of the innocent."  
I stood up with my head down, my eyes were shielded by my long, golden fringe. The color he loved so much.  
"To convict him," I felt my eyes narrow.  
"Of the murder of you. I won't let go of you until I find who did this to you and serve justice to them like you did to many, I swear I'll do this so I know that you can rest in the peace you deserve. My heart and my pride are on the line here...I know that I'm ready to risk it all for you, Jean." I clenched my shaking hands into fists.  
"I got promoted to Erwin's position because I was the only one that he trusted. I will not let Eren get away with murder if he has been the one who's behind it all. I've been given pictures and I've been given reports, but I haven't been given what I need: A fresh body, with the finger prints or Eren and a murder weapon with matching finger prints. Until I have those I will do everything in my new found power to get them. Obviously, if Eren isn't the one who did this, I could be wasting my time, but I'm ready to do that for you."  
"I promise."

  ~~ **Erwin's**~~ **Armin's Office-**

**6: 00 A.M**

  
   
I walked up to my office quickly, being careful not to get spotted by anyone that was around in the early hours.  
Getting to my office door, I stopped, my eyes widened.  
"Head Detective Arlert?"  
Four tall figures asked in unison as I stared at them, surprised.  
They all stood in a line, ranging in heights. The tallest was around six foot while the shortest was about five foot one. I couldn't see their faces very well because of their sun glasses and large hats, but I knew that they were on my side...Or at least, I hoped. I nodded at them, confirming I was the new Head Detective.   
"Sir!" They all saluted me in unison, their right hands curled in a fist in front of their chest while their left hands quickly moved behind their backs.  
I nodded simply and walked into my office when one of them opened the door for me.  
"Ah, Armin. You're here finally. I was worried you wouldn't show."  
"E-Erwin?" I blinked in confusion. His bold figure was stood up, his hands locked in place behind his back like always. This was his signature stance.  
"The people on the door are my, former, personal back up squad...Or in other words: your new personal back up squad: 'The Special Operations Squad'. You have full say over where they go, what they do and how they act in certain situations. They are here to serve you and I trust you will use this to your advantage." Erwin announced, turning around to smile at me.  
"You have my personal details and I urge you to keep me up-to-date with the investigation. Remember, we are not doing this to prove Eren guilty, we are doing this to ensure that Eren is not the murderer. If he is," Erwin's tone lowered slightly.  
"If he is the murderer, then we have no choice but to put him where he belongs. As hard as it will be, I'm sure that you know that we have to deal with him. Via the police or death, we have to do what's right in the eyes of the law and getting away with murder isn't right."  
I nodded, understandingly.  
"I'd also like to let you know the lab has been closed. The back up squad have been ordered to say that forensics has been moved if any questions are asked, so please don't worry about the lab. Also, please contact me whenever you need too, keep me informed. I want to be of use to you..." Erwin paused, walking to the door.  
"Sir." He smiled and walked out, leaving me with my mouth hung open for moment. I then smiled...I suppose I could get used to this. It's better than working down in the lab.  
"So," I started, sitting down at my desk as the four dark figures stood in front of me.  
"The Special Operations Squad...If you're working with me, I can at least see your faces, correct?" I asked, crossing one knee over the other while leaning back.  
"Is that an order, Sir?" The tallest one asked.  
"I believe it is." I replied, nodding.  
One by one, they nodded and showed me their face, introducing themselves:

  
"Eld Jinn. The second leader of the squad under you. If anything gets in the way of us following an order, or someone is not following orders, I am the one who deals with it."  
"Oluo Boza-" The older man paused and winced, holding his mouth.  
I shot up with slight concern.  
"Are you alright?"  
"Olou Bozado. He has a habit of biting his tongue...Quite a lot." Eld informed me, placing a hand on Oluo's shoulder.  
"I see..." I composed myself and sat back down.

  
"Petra Ral." I blinked out of surprise. She seemed to be the only girl on the team. Judging by the other's height and frame.

  
"Gunther Schultz."

  
I nodded and smiled at them warmly.  
"It's going to be a pleasure having you work with me, I can tell."  
At this, they seemed a tiny bit taken back, probably because they were used to Erwin's serious tone all of the time, but they soon smiled back.  
"Any orders, Sir?" Eld asked, showing me every sign he was listening intently to me.  
"Not at the moment...Actually, no...I do have one order."  
I looked at each one of them. Tense, tired and under slept.  
"Take today to relax. You look awfully tired, all of you, I want you to relax before we start. We have plenty of time." I smiled at them once more, watching their eyes widen.  
"But Sir, we-" I interrupted Eld by simply holding a finger up to hush him.  
"If I need anything I'll ask one of you to get it for me, but I want to be able to get to know the people I'm about to work with. I don't want us to clash, so I need to know about you all. The only way to do that is to take time out of our day to talk and grow comfortable with one another."  
They simply nodded, slouching slightly in unison.


	2. Thursday- 6: 30 -P.M

**Thursday- 6: 3** **0 -P.M**

  **Eren's Route Home-**

  
Blood dripped off of the knife in my hands slowly, the sound of the drips hitting the floor echoed around me and the weak, whimpering body in front of me on the floor.

I sighed.

This man had a wife and children apparently, but he decided to go out for one drink too many...It's not my fault he started harassing an innocent group of teenagers on his way home.  
"Pathetic." I spat, looking down at his almost lifeless body.  
I walked a full circle around him.  
"P-Please, I-"  
"Sshh." I hushed him by crouching down beside his head, putting a finger to his quivering lips. He'd been stuttering and begging since I first stabbed him in the leg and now I was getting tired of it ten stabs later.  
"This is why adults wait until later to get drunk. You didn't seriously think that I could let you go home after the trouble you caused with those kids a while ago, did you? I mean, I seem to have scared you a little too much and you seem a little more sober already," I smirked.  
"But that's no excuse." I snared and stood back up. Kicking him.  
"S-Sir I- I just- I-I'm s-sorry I-"  
" **GODDESSES, DO YOU EVER SHUT UP**?" My yell bounced around our surroundings. The man simply whimpered.  
quickly reaching into his jacket pocket, I pulled out what looked like his wallet.  
"P-Please don't-"  
I looked down at him and glared, shutting him up once more.  
"Nile Dok?" I read the name on his driver's license and scoffed.  
"What a weird name...Hm..." I then took out various different cards and found other information about Nile that I never expected to be true just by looking at him.  
"You were in the military? What as, the facility cleaner?" I snickered as I watched him scowl at me.  
"Oooohhh, is this your wife?" I asked, pulling out a picture of a fairly pretty, young woman.  
"Y-Yes...P-Please d-don't hurt h-her" At this, I rolled my eyes.  
"I'm only after you. Idiot. What's her name?" I asked innocently as he narrowed his eyes at me. He didn't speak.  
"I asked you a question." My eyes darkened.  
"What's. Her. Name. Nile?" I stood on the hand of his I sliced open, slowly applying pressure.  
"M-Marie!" He answered, wincing.  
"Hm. At least she's not named after a river." I shrugged, throwing the wallet behind me on the floor, getting bored.  
"P-Please- Just...J-Just kill me- Y-You've w-wounded me e-enough a-already-" Nile stuttered, seeming perfectly sober now...What a shame.  
"But you were in the military, weren't you? You were a solider! WHERE'S YOUR FIGHT?" I asked, smirking.  
"D-Do I look st-strong enough to k-kill you to you?" He wince as he tried to move.  
"Kill me?" I asked, blinking. Then proceeded to laugh along with the voices in my head.  
"You couldn't kill me even if you wanted to, Nile, even if you were perfectly fine!" I threw my head back with laughter, holding a hand over my stomach.  
"But to be honest with you, Nile." I stopped laughing with one large intake of breath.  
"You're boring me now." I then dropped the bloody knife onto his head, the blade penetrating his skull. He died instantly.  
I stretched and sighed, shrugging the murder off as just another day at 'work'.  
I turned to walk away.

  
"You're cruel." A voice from behind me purred. I turned around faster than I could blink.  
"Who are you?" My eyes narrowed as my heart started to beat out of time.  
"No one special."  
"Don't make me ask you again." I growled.  
"So...Levi hasn't told you about me?"  
I stiffened in place.  
"Excuse me?"  
The man's head tilted as light grey eyes narrowed playfully. His dirty blonde hair swayed to the side as he smirked.  
"Don't make me ask agai-"  
" **DON'T MOCK ME**!" I growled.  
All he did was laugh, making my blood boil.  
"I'm Farlan. Farlan Church." He introduced himself finally, getting over his laughing fit.  
'Farlan'...I've heard that name before...I can't place where...  
"And you're Eren. Great Detective by day, killer by night. I like it." He added, walking over to me.  
"How do you know my name?"  
"I've been watching. For a long time now actually." Farlan smiled at me and held out his hand for me to shake.  
"You'd better hope Levi recognizes you or I swear to Goddess Maria I'll murder you." I narrowed my eyes, batting his hand away as I walked home, letting him follow.

  
  _**7: 00 P.M** _

  
_**Eren's Apartment**  _

  
"Who was it this time?" Levi called as I walked in with Farlan. I smirked.  
"A man named after a river. Anyway, someone's here to see you." I replied and motioned for Farlan to take his shoes off like I had just done.  
I leaned against the nearest wall and watched as Levi walked to the door. He froze as his eyes met Farlan's.  
"You...I could have sworn you were dead."  
At this, my eyebrow shot up. My eyes darted between the two, confused.  
"I could have said the same for you." Farlan replied with a serious tone.  
They both walked towards each other slowly, their eyes showed relief but their body language showed confusion.  
"Why didn't you try and find me?"  
"Do you think I didn't try?"  
My eyes narrowed as they were getting too close for comfort.

Farlan reached out to put his hand on Levi's cheek, smiling.  
"Okay," I quickly moved between them, swatting Farlan's hand away and linking arms with Levi.

My Levi.

  
"I think sitting down and telling me what the fuck this is all about sounds like a good idea." I snapped, dragging Levi into the living room area of my apartment and pushing him down on the sofa. I quickly sat next to him, making sure Farlan didn't sit down next to him first.  
"So, I don't care who speaks first, just let me know what I've not been told."  
I leaned back, moving Levi's arm around my shoulders.  
"We worked together. We still did the same thing as I do now but we worked together years ago," Levi started, not bothered by me moving his arm.  
"Yeah, we were living together too, but we were just friends. One day we were doing a job, along with another girl who used to live with us and we got caught...And chased." Farlan sighed, leaning back slightly in his seat.  
"Well, more like -you- got caught." Levi snickered.  
"Anyway, we got chased because robbing places with no back up plan was and still is a bad idea." Levi spoke sarcastically but I knew he wasn't lying.  
"I got caught while Levi was on the run and we lost contact." Farlan shrugged slightly.  
"What about the girl?" I asked, looking at Levi innocently.  
"Isabel...She got caught too." Levi answered simply.  
"Yeah. Only, she got a bigger sentence because we gave her shelter while she was on the run." Farlan added.  
"I see-"  
"Do you have a place at the moment?" Levi asked him, earning a huge glare from me.  
"Not really," Farlan started, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish smile.  
"I have to travel for shelter...I manage."  
Levi shook his head.  
"Eren doesn't mind if you stay here."  
**Excuse me?**  
"Don't I?" I narrowed my eyes at him.  
"No, you don't." Levi replied flatly.  
"Really?" Farlan asked, sitting forwards with a huge smile on his face. Levi nodded.  
"You might as well stay here. I don't want to lose contact with you again."  
I glared at Levi, jealousy ripping through my veins.  
"You worked with him, right?" I asked, Farlan nodded.  
"You can stay here on one condition," I started, feeling Levi tense up.  
"You work for me. If you've been 'watching' me like you said, you should know about my situation," He nodded.  
"You can stay here if you help me get away with murder. Simple. If I get caught, you either help me or leave." I finished, watching him nod.  
"No problem! Anything for you! You brought me to Levi and I'm grateful for that, so I'll do anything! Thank you, Eren, thank you so much!" He cried with happiness, laughing slightly.  
"Excuse me a moment." Levi said quickly and got up, dragging me along with him, into our bedroom.

  
"'The fuck was that?" His voice held an angry growl.  
"What?" I asked innocently, blinking.  
"You know what." Levi growled slightly, suddenly pinning me against the closed door.  
"I-"  
"Were you jealous? Really, Eren?" He asked, looking straight into my eyes, making my knees feel weak.  
"I-Uhh-"  
"Do you think I don't love you or something? He's an old friend. Nothing more, nothing less." Levi's eyes narrowed slightly, triggering a blush to cover my cheeks.  
"Tch. Brat." Levi then connected his lips with mine in a heated kiss, making my head spin several times, dizziness from pleasure threw my balance off as I leaned into the door. My eyes closed straight away as butterflies swelled in my stomach.  
"Does that prove how much more you mean to me than him?" Levi asked after breaking the kiss, still pinning me to the door.  
"Y-Yeah." I nodded, swallowing.  
"Good."  
Levi quickly kissed me again and took a step back, letting me regain my balance quickly before he walked out with me following.


	3. Friday 11: 00 A.M

**Friday 11: 00 A.M**

**  The Crime Scene -  **

I ignored the voice's giggling as I looked at Nile's dead body. Unmoved. Sighing, I walked over to his wallet and picked it up, 'examining it.'

"Have you got anything?" A stranger's voice asked from behind me. I jumped, spinning around.

"Y-Yeah I-"

**What the fuck is all this?**

**Looks like we're in deep now...**

Four figures now stood in front of me. Two shorter bodies stood in front of two taller bodies. Long, black trench coats covered their body while black leather gloves covered their hands. They all seemed to wear the same make of leather boots and all had the same hat covering their faces. Their eyes were blocked with the same, thick-rimmed sunglasses. Going by what I could see, three males one female. Her short ginger hair and chin shape gave it away.

"I have...Got something...What's all this?" I asked, looking at each of them being genuinely confused.

"These are my personal back up squad."

The two shorter figures at the front moved aside. The tallest one was holding a laptop with a blank screen showing. A majorly distorted voice was speaking to me. I narrowed my eyes and smirked.

"And you're the new boss, I assume?" I placed my hands on my hips.

"Is that really a question?"

**Someone's confident...**

"Hm." I turned and walked towards the body. The one with the laptop followed.

"The victim appears to be," I opened the wallet and took out the driver's licence.

"Nile Dok...Weird name, but I guess he didn't choose it." I closed the wallet and put it down.

"This is no time for joking."

I rolled my eyes before bending down slightly to examine the work I had done on him the night before.

"So...Nile was stabbed, in total, eleven times. It looks like it was ten on his body and the final one was to the head."

I stood up straight and stretched.

"The wallet was left on the floor thrown behind the criminal. How do I know this? Well, the angle of the stab wound to the head shows that the criminal was standing here," I stood in the position I was in when I dropped the knife on his head the other night.

"No money seems to be missing so this crime was uncalled for...Well, all crime is but if the criminal didn't take anything, he wasn't after anything. This, then means, that the criminal was probably teasing him before murdering him...Talk about cruel...I suggest we get fingerprints. If we can't find any, then we need to monitor these killings and see if a killing in the same style happens again. Now...I could use a coffee and I believe I'm done here."

I moved past the dark figures and walked away, not needing to do anymore.

  **11: 00 A.M**

**Armin's Office-**

After looking through Hanji's files and talking to Erwin...I had to face it...Eren was the murderer. I never expected this to happen and I don't know why this happened...He was doing so well...But I suppose he was always somewhat unpredictable.

The one thing that strung the murders together was that they were uncategorized and a motive wasn't clear. I'm sure now, that if I can get interviews with the victim's close ones, we could find a motive...Something the victim did to upset Eren...Or the potential murderer if I am wrong, but the chances of that are highly unlikely...Eren never suggested interviews and always put his crimes on either 'Levi' or an 'uncategorized' murder and advised that we monitor those murders. Those were just cover ups and they won't work this time.

"We are almost in position, are you ready, Sir?" Petra asked, her voice was slightly fuzzy from the weak connection we had from the computer. I sighed at the blank screen in front of me.

"Yes," I answered, holding down the button my microphone that distorted my voice.

"I want image and I want none of you to interrupt Eren. I assume he'll go on a mini ramble about his deductions and I want to hear all of it. You will not introduce yourselves by name and you won't show him your faces. Am I understood?" The distortion in my voice was perfect. I could hear it.

"Yes, Sir."

"Then proceed."

I then got image, just like I had asked for.

"Have you got anything?" Eld asked boldly, I could hear in his voice that he already didn't like Eren.

"Y-Yeah I-" Eren paused. He had obviously jumped at the sight of the four of them...I could never thank Erwin enough.

"I have...Got something...What's all this?".

"These are my personal back up squad." I answered him smugly, smirked slightly at this new found confidence I felt.

I crossed my knees over one another in my office chair as the shortest moved, I could see Eren now and all Eren could see was a white screen. He narrowed his eyes and smirked.

"And you're the new boss, I assume?" He placed his hands on his hips.

"Is that really a question?" I replied sarcastically, feeling empowered just by the fact he doesn't know it was me he was speaking too.

"Hm." he turned and walked towards the body; the camera followed him.

"The victim appears to be," he opened the poor victim's wallet and took out the driver's licence.

"Nile Dok...Weird name, but I guess he didn't choose it." he then closed the wallet and put it down, not paying much attention to it.

"This is no time for joking." I gritted my teeth. He was always my friend but I hated his sarcasm at times. Like now, he's basically disrespected the dead.

"So...Nile was stabbed, in total, eleven times. It looks like it was ten on his body and the final one was to the head." I nodded slightly, looking at the body...What a poor, unfortunate soul...

He stood up straight and stretched.

"The wallet was left on the floor thrown behind the criminal. How do I know this? Well, the angle of the stab wound to the head shows that the criminal was standing here," He modelled a position that was plausible.

"No money seems to be missing so this crime was uncalled for...Well, all crime is but if the criminal didn't take anything, he wasn't after anything. This, then means, that the criminal was probably teasing him before murdering him...Talk about cruel...I suggest we get finger prints. If we can't find any, then we need to monitor these killings and see if a killing in the same style happens again. Now...I could use a coffee and I believe I'm done here." With that, Eren walked away with pride...Sick, gut wrenching pride that he didn't deserve on any level.

"Anything to report, Sir?" Gunther asked, switching the image off.

"Come back to my office...We have something small I'd like to talk about, regarding our next actions." I then closed my laptop's lid and sighed.

  **11:30 A.M**

**Armin's Office-**

"Our next orders, Sir?" All four of my squad members asked in unison, saluting me as they walked in, they stood in a line.

"We don't need fingerprints, so don't get them. There won't be anything on the body," I started. The whole squad looked slightly surprised.

"He wasn't modelling a possible position that the criminal was standing in to throw the wallet, he was showing us what -he- did, where -he- was standing and he also showed us how Nile died." At this, Olou raised his hand.

"Yes?"

"How did he show us how Nile died?"

I shuffled in my seat.

"The stab wounds are all over Nile's body, but that wouldn't be enough to kill him, Eren hadn't struck any vitals. So, Eren then taunts Nile about his name and the rest of what's in his wallet to anger him or make him feel weak...Or both and then stands exactly where he showed us the wallet was thrown from and drops the weapon on Nile's head. Killing him instantly. No fingerprints would be needed because Eren barely touched the body with his hands and probably kicked him rather than punched or hit him." Olou simply nodded after I had spoken.

"Eren suggested fingerprints to prove that he could get away with it. It was like he was saying: 'Yes, this is how I stood when I killed him and you can't prove anything without solid evidence it was me. So, what are you gonna do about it?' I don't like his confidence. I'm not sure if this will work, but I need Eren in the building on Monday. He doesn't leave the building and he doesn't leave his desk...Petra, you'll act as his 'partner' and report back to me after the day is done." Petra nodded at her order.

"If a murder takes place while Eren is still in the building, the chance that he's the murderer will decrease a little...Of course, that depends on the style of the murder, but, I don't want to assume too much yet. We are running off of what Hanji Zoe left us, after all...I can't count on all of her deductions to be correct..." My voice trailed off.

With that said, the four left the office, leaving me with my thoughts.

_"Eren...I will find evidence that it was you. A recorded confession, a slip up on words, a flaw in your lies, whatever it is that you try and do, I will always think of something to trap you...You won't win...I assure it...Not for myself, not for Erwin, not even for Hanji...But for Jean."_


	4. Friday- 11: 25 A.M

**Friday- 11: 25 A.M-**

  
**Eren's Desk-**

  
I sighed as I typed up the 'new report' the boss clearly didn't need. If the boss suspects me immediately, then they obviously have files from Hanji and Erwin...Which means that if they know about Levi, it'll be harder for me to get away with crimes...Unless...

  
I smirked and opened my e-mails, getting ready to write to the boss. I've met Farlan just yesterday and he's working with me for shelter. He's practically my dog and no one here knows about him! Which means, if I stay in the office on Monday, Levi reports a murder and Farlan commits the murder, in the boss's eyes I couldn't have done it because I would have been in the building and neither could Levi because he would have reported Farlan.That could get me out of suspicion if I just make sure that Farlan isn't clean with his work! I doubt the new boss has contact with Erwin seeing Erwin's not here anymore so there would be no point in talking to him and Hanji's dead, so he's running on files. Stupid, little files that probably don't have anything of use to him in them aside from old pictures and old reports.  
This will be easier than I thought!

  
**Then, when we're free, we can get rid of the problem, like last time!**

  
"Exactly." I purred quietly and began to type.

  
**Friday- 11: 35 A.M -**

  
**Armin's Office-**

  
"You're relieved for today. That's all we'll do for now." I sat back and let the squad out of the room so they could do what they wanted for the remainder of the day.

  
Now...The murders that Eren commits are usually done with either a gun, or a knife...It seems to be his prefered way of doing things...So if there is a murder on Monday and it's done with a knife or a gun, he's got Levi to do it which means he can then sit here and play innocent.  
I sighed as I span in my chair and looked out of the large, spotless window.

  
"I could get killed for this...If you killed Hanji and you held a gun up to someone's head without any hesitations, I can't imagine you would spare me just because you know me..." I rested my head on my hand.

  
"I want to believe I'm wrong but...I can't...There's evidence to suggest you, but none to convict you...And I can imagine you'll keep it that way...But I swear to the Goddesses I'll find where you slip up. I will find where you make a mistake and I will-"

  
A bleep from my computer interrupted me, spinning back around in my chair, I noticed it was an e-mail from Eren.

  
**'I don't exactly need to write this report, do I? You and I both know you'll still suspect me even if I write this up and say it was an unknown murderer.**  
**Eren- '**  
I frowned slightly.

  
'Yes, I suppose you're right...I want you in all day on Monday. I will have someone there to fetch you things if you need but I'm not allowing you to leave your desk.  
Your Boss-'

  
It wasn't normal for Eren to complain about work or not do something...What was he doing? He's up to something...But what?

  
**'At least Hanji kept me in a room, you're keeping my at a desk. How mean. You are aware of Hanji, aren't you?**  
**-Eren'**  
I sighed before typing.

  
'Eren, I am deeply sorry about this, but it's best for the investigation and yes, I am aware of Hanji...I heard about her death...It was tragic.  
\- Your Boss'

"And If I'm not careful, my death could be tragic too..."

  
**'Well, I suppose if it is best for the investigation I have to go through with it...Why are you hiding your identity?**  
**-Eren'**  
"If only you knew." I muttered, typing back quicker than before.

  
'Thank you, I am terribly sorry for this and that's classified information I'm afraid, Eren.  
-Your Boss'

  
**'Hm. Yeah. 'classified'...Makes me feel like you're hiding something more than just your identity but I won't try and get it out of you.**  
**\- Eren.'**

  
I rolled my eyes.

  
'Is that what this is all about? Eren, if you want to know who I am, that won't work. Nice try though.  
\- Your Boss.'

  
I shut the lid of my laptop and spun back around in my chair.  
Rain spat onto the glass as the streets became busier suddenly. The formerly blue sky was turning brown.  
"Something's going to happen...I can feel it..."  
A large bolt of lightning struck the street below, knocking my nerves.  
"I can feel it..."

  
  **11: 50 A.M-**

  
**Eren's Desk** -

  
'Well, I suppose if it is best for the investigation I have to go through with it...Why are you hiding your identity?  
-Eren'

  
I sent the email off with crossed fingers. It probably wouldn't be that easy to even get a hint of who the boss was, but it was worth a try.

  
**'Thank you, I am terribly sorry for this and that's classified information I'm afraid, Eren.**  
**-Your Boss'**

  
I rolled my eyes.  
"Thought as much...Bastard."

  
'Hm. Yeah. 'classified'...Makes me feel like you're hiding something more than just your identity but I won't try and get it out of you.  
\- Eren.'

  
I sat back and crossed my arms.

  
**'Is that what this is all about? Eren, if you want to know who I am, that won't work. Nice try though.**  
**\- Your Boss.'**

  
I growled and closed my e-mails, sighing.  
At least I had a plan for Monday...As long as nothing goes wrong, things should be fine.


	5. Friday- 7: 00 P.M

**Friday- 7: 00 P.M**

**Eren's Apartment-**

"Farlan!" I called as I walked into my apartment, taking off my shoes.

"Yes, Sir?" He answered, standing in the living area's door frame eagerly.

"I have a job for you." I walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, leading him towards the sofa.

"I swear to the Goddesses, you better be listening to me carefully." I cleared my throat slightly before talking, making sure he was listening.

"You are to pick a victim that's committed a crime, just like my other victims and kill them in the messiest way possible. Don't use a gun and don't use a knife. Use something heavy, it'll create more of a mess."

"And then, Sir?" He asked, wanting more than one command.

**How sad...What some people will do for shelter.**

"And then nothing. Levi will take over from there."

At the mention of his name, he came out of the kitchen area and stood in the kitchen's door way.

"Oh, will I?"

I nodded.

"After Farlan has killed whoever, you call work like last time. You need to make sure that you demand to talk to the Head Detective or else you won't give a location."

Levi nodded.

"Whatever you want, brat."

"And you," I turned back to Farlan.

"I don't care how you do it, but show me proof you killed someone. Got it?"

Farlan swallowed and nodded.

"Yes, Sir."

I nodded and gave a sick smile.

"Good...Don't fuck this up."

I then walked away, into mine and Levi's bedroom to lie down.

**Monday will be a breeze. Let's see how much the boss suspects us now.**

**7: 00 P.M**

**Armin's Office-**

I sighed as I finished sending e-mails to different detectives, telling them what case to work on or telling them what their next action should be. In all truth, I missed not reading over Eren's report. I didn't need too before, but I used to glance over them if I could. His way with words was something I was always envious of...  

I closed the lid of my laptop and closed my eyes.

"If I were a criminal like you...I would want to know what the person suspecting me knew...By now, you've probably already assumed I'm running on files...And I strongly doubt you know about my contact with Erwin...I can use this to my advantage..." I muttered, sitting forwards to rest my elbows on my desk, rubbing my temples.

"You probably have some 'great idea' of how you're going to make me second guess myself...But the only thing is, I know someone is working with you. The file that I've been left by Hanji says so...I'd like to see how you try and convince me the murder that will take place on Monday wasn't yours."

I took deep breaths in and out as I thought hard on what to do next.

"By Monday, you would have guessed that someone from the Special Operations Squad would have been sent to watch you at your desk...This means I am possibly risking Petra's life...But if she dies after you're free, then we know for sure it's you and her death wouldn't have been for nothing."

I opened my eyes.

"This means you'll have the upper hand...But then if you do...How would you kill her...Even more so...How will we find where the body is on Monday...How will we know it's Levi's work? You will try to disguise it somehow..."

I got my phone from my pocket and called Erwin.

"Sir?"

Came his reply, not even a minuet after calling.

"Erwin. I need something from you that I don't have in the files. You're still willing to share information even though the murderer has to be Eren at this point?" I asked, eager for a 'yes, of course' in reply.

"Anything for the case. What do you need." I smiled at his words.

"Was there ever a point in Hanji's time on the case where someone reported a murder that had something to do with Eren?" I asked, not moving from my sitting position.

"Well, actually...There was...I'm sorry I didn't add this information in the file. When you were taken by Annie and Eren came to save you, we only knew about you being taken because 'Levi' phoned me personally."

"You have connections to 'Levi'?" I asked, blinking in confusion.

"No. He had used Eren's phone. We tried to trace the phone after you were safe but we had no luck and he had also promised he'd be gone by the time I had got there...He was right...And it looked like Eren was where you were on his own..." Erwin informed me slowly.

"I see..."

"Is there anything else?"

"No. That's all." I went to hang up the phone, then stopped.

"Actually-"

"Yes?"

"There was...One more thing..." I tapped my fingers against my cheek.

"How strong are the squad?"

"They're very strong. They were trained by the best and brought to the best. Why do you ask?" He sounded slightly offended.

"Well...I've been left with no choice but to make a sacrifice...It's Petra's life for Eren's innocence...I don't like the idea, but it's the only way to keep Eren monitored."

Erwin sighed at hearing this.

"I see...She should be able to defend herself...I'm not exactly a fan of the idea...But it is bold of you to lay a life on the line like that...I could have never done anything like that myself...I'm...I'm proud of you, Sir."

I nodded and smiled.

"I'm appreciative...That's it for now...Thank you, Erwin."

"No problem, Sir."

We both hung up.

Sighing, I closed my eyes again.

"So...When you needed to save me...You got 'Levi' involved...This means, 'Levi' must have seen me get taken and told you. There's no other way you would know, you weren't there...While you were up in that building, 'Levi' called Erwin using your personal phone...He then had to hide or destroy it so you didn't seem to have connections in the first place...How did you think that, that would be the right course of action? This just confirms you have 'Levi' working with you...Unless...You couldn't have someone else with you...Could you?"

I got up, walking towards the large window...My hands locked in place behind my back while my feet stood shoulder width apart.

"If we get a phone call from 'Levi'...That could change things...Even if it's just slightly...You can build up an army, I'll still break it down. We both have people we don't know about. But since you'll only recognize one person out of my squad of four, I have more people that you don't know about on my side...Although..."

Rain began to spit once again.

"I feel like that could change..."

 


	6. Monday- 5:00 A.M

**Monday- 5:00 A.M**

  
**Armin's Office-**

  
"I'm sorry for calling you in early and before the others, but I need something done urgently."  
Eld nodded, standing in front of my desk, awaiting my orders.  
"Today, Petra will be with Eren and he's probably going to push for answers from her on who I am. Petra will probably end up telling him about the lab being closed if they break into normal conversation. It's only natural for Eren to ask questions because he would have never seen Petra before...If he knows the lab has been closed, he might get ideas..."  
I sighed.  
"How long will it take to have the lab monitored via security cameras?"  
I sat forwards, my hands locked in a ball together on the desk.  
"I could have it arranged so it's done within a few hours. If Eren isn't allowed to leave his desk, he more than likely won't notice work being done." Eld answered, not a single hint of uncertainty was in his voice.  
"I want that done. I also want someone to guard the lab. No one is to go in at all at any point."  
Eld nodded at this.  
"Sir?"  
He asked, suddenly looking slightly confused.  
"Why do we need to keep the lab guarded? If you don't mind me asking."  
At this, I smirked slightly.  
"Eren's going to get frustrated sooner or later and is going to try and find the files we have on him. They're in here at the moment so that makes the office vulnerable. If I were to have my own office monitored and guarded, Eren could see who I am if he managed to break into the security somehow and look at the camera's footage, obviously, it would be running all day so he could see me enter the office of a morning. Even though that happening is very unlikely. So if we move the files to the lab, he won't see me if he somehow how breaks into the security and gets past the guard, so we're not taking any risks and we also know that if Eren does try to get the files somehow, he's getting desperate."  
Eld nodded.  
"But why would we need to know when he's getting desperate?"  
I looked away. Not answering.  
"I want the camera's sorted and I want Gunther on guard. We will move the files at the end of the day. I want to lab sorted too. Since Erwin ordered I take his place, the lab was left alone. There's still my computer in there with information on it and I believe there should still be a dead body in there...It's probably too late to resume work on it...What a shame..."  
"R-Right...I...I'm sorry, Sir." He saluted and walked away.  
Once he left, I sighed.  
"I don't want to play this game...When he gets desperate...I can't prevent what's going to happen..."

  
  **\- 6:00 A.M**

  
**Eren's Desk-**

  
I stretched and sat down at my desk with a cup of coffee I had already gotten on the way. Shrugging off the thoughts of Farlan ruining this for me, I turned my computer on, ready to check my e-mails.

   
"Eren?"

  
"Hm?"

  
I turned to where the voice came from, to find it came from a woman with ginger hair. Her frame was small and seemed almost 'delicate'. She smiled at me warmly.  
"Hey...Wait, let me guess, you're here to monitor me, aren't you?" I asked, making out this wasn't a perfect situation for me.  
"Yeah...But don't worry! I won't sit here and stare at you or anything."  
I smiled politely and moved aside, giving her room to drag the chair she had behind her next to me.  
"So, what's your name?" I asked, trying to start a conversation with her.  
"Petra. Petra Ral." She held her hand out for me to shake.

  
**Wait...**

  
She gave me a closed eye smile as I shook her hand politely.

  
**We've seen her before! She's part of the new boss's 'squad'!**

  
That jaw shape...Those lips...There's no question about it, I -have- seen her before...I only have two options now if this was someone from the boss's squad...Stay quiet about killings and act like normal; 'Detective Eren Jeager'...Or, I could come back for her later and threaten to kill her if she doesn't feed me any information on the new boss.

  
**I suppose we'd better make sure we're not just getting ahead of ourselves and assuming things...**

  
"So...Did you work in forensics or are you new or something, I haven't seen you around." I asked, watching her shake her head.

  
"No, I work in a different group of people. I've never actually worked here. Besides, if I did work here in forensics they'd be no need for me to be here now, the lab has closed." She answered, crossing on knee over the other.

  
"The lab's closed?"

 

  
  **12: 00 P.M**

  
**Armin's Office-**

  
"Given the time...I should be getting a call any time..." I tapped my fingers on the desk.  
"Now."  
As if on que, the phone in the office rang loudly.

  
"Yes?" I answered the phone with a shaking hand. Hoping it was him.  
"You're the Head, right?" A smooth, deep voice asked on the other end. I smirked. It had to be him.  
"Yes, who's calling?" I knew the answer.  
"Levi...Apparently I'm a big name over there...And so are you...Head Detective Armin Arlert."  
I froze...That wasn't what I had expected. How does he know my name?  
"E-Excuse me?"  
"Oh please, you can hide from Eren, but not me. " he scoffed.  
"So you **are** working with him..."  
"No."  
I blinked.  
"What do you mean: 'No'?"  
The voice on the other end laughed.  
"Me and Eren aren't 'connected' in that way at all. I'm just protecting him."  
"From what?" I sat forwards.  
"Nothing in particular. I'm just making sure he doesn't get hurt. Or killed."  
"But why would you care?"  
"I can ask you the same question, blondie."

  
I narrowed my eyes.

  
"Now, I didn't decide to waste my time just to taunt you-"  
"Where's the murder?"  
I heard 'Levi' gasp slightly as I cut him off.

  
"Well, aren't you a clever boy." 'Levi' spat, sounding almost sarcastic.  
"What? Didn't expect me to think ahead of time? I know about what happened the day I was taken. Someone else is working with Eren as well as you, aren't they? It's a three man job, isn't it?"  
"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Brats who always think ahead need to be careful."  
'Levi' gave me the address of the murder and hung up after promising me he wouldn't be there, so there was no use looking for him.  
I smirked.  
"Eld, Gunther, Oluo," All three of them stood with straight backs in front of me.  
"Sir?"  
They all saluted in unison.  
"We have a murder."

  
**Monday- 6: 30 P.M**

  
**Eren's Apartment-**

  
"Farlan?" I called.  
"Y-Yes, Sir?" He answered, standing in the living area with his hands in his pockets.  
I walked over to him and held my hand out.  
"What I asked for?"  
He looked down at my hand as his lip seemed to quiver.  
"A-About that...S-Someone got there before I did..."  
He looked to the side.  
"Sorry...What?" I gritted my teeth with narrow eyes.  
"I-I said...S-Someone got there before I did..."  
I growled.  
"You mean you didn't leave a murder for the detectives?" I placed my hands on my hips.  
"N-No! There was a murder...I just didn't do it...Someone had already used a small metal pipe to kill someone..."  
"Didn't you stop them? If you know what weapon they used, surely you must have caught a word with them? Am I wrong?"  
Farlan's breath hitched.  
"W-Well...I couldn't see their face. They must have saw who I was going for because they killed the guy just as I was about too...But they wouldn't talk to me and they ran off..."  
I noded at his words.

  
"I see...So someone's caught onto what we're doing? Providing they don't get caught and talk to the police, this could be an advantage to us."


	7. Tuesday- 3: 00 A.M

**Tuesday- 3: 00 A.M**

  
**Eren's Apartment-**

  
My eyes burnt as I scrolled through the reports I wrote on Levi ages ago on my laptop.  
"When I had all of this information on Levi, he was at a disadvantage...He then got ahold of my files so that he had a chance to get the upper hand against me...At work, I'm at a disadvantage because the boss clearly has files on me that Hanji and Erwin kept. I never saw these, so this means I'm at a disadvantage. I know that the boss knows a lot about the past, but I don't know exactly -how much- they know...That means..."  
I turned to the side.  
"If I take a page out of Levi's book..."  
I looked beside me to see Levi wasn't next to me. Putting my laptop down, I moved the sheets away from me and got up.

  
"You're up early."  
I snickered as his words filled my eyes.  
"So are you." I answered, not surprised to see him dusting over the living area's table.  
"Couldn't sleep?" He asked, stretching out to reach the other end of the table...Well...Trying too.  
"Something like that."  
I sat down on the sofa with a smirk, kicking my feet up onto the table; He stopped and looked at me with tired, disappointed eyes, standing up right to rest his hands on his hips.   
"I need you to do something."  
He raised an eyebrow.  
"I need you to break into the boss's office. You remember where it was from when you first spoke to me at work, right? I'm assuming you had a good look around?" At this, Levi nodded.  
"Good. I don't care how you do it, but I feel like the files they have on me are in there so break in and get them. I'm not sure about security and cameras. I think Erwin trusted everyone too much, so I doubt there's any security to get through at all."  
"And if I can't find the files?"  
I yawned a little.  
"Don't worry about it. I'll just have to find out where they're kept myself."  
He nodded.  
"Right. You have guts, you know that?"  
I huffed out a laugh.  
"I'm aware, thank you for telling me."  
I purred sarcastically.  
"Won't they suspect you for the break in instantly?" He asked, sitting down next to me.  
"They're already going to suspect me for a murder I didn't do, so I'm not bothered what they think I did or didn't do anymore."  
I stretched again, feeling stiff.  
"Farlan said someone went for his target and killed them right before he did. The boss will think that was me or someone else, so-"  
"He suspects someone else." Levi cut in.  
"Oh?"  
"He's thinking it's a three man job already..."  
My mood suddenly dropped.  
"Excuse me? He's caught on quickly."  
**Which means we need to act quickly.**  
"It's fine. He still needs evidence to convict you of a murder. so far he's not got that, so we're fine."  
I nodded.  
"I realize that, I'm just waiting for the point where he anticipates my moves and catches me in the act or something."  
I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, sighing.  
"I just-"  
"Eren."  
I only tilted my head slightly and looked at Levi through fed up eyes.  
"You've come this far. Use Farlan, use me, use anything you can. As long as you think like you do, he won't get in the way." Levi placed a hand on my knee, trying to reassure me.  
"I...Yeah...You're right...As long as nothing slows me... **WAIT, THAT'S IT!** "  
"See?" He chuckled slightly.

  
"If he's slowing me down I have to slow him down...Or them...Down. When you break into the office, it's a low chance but there might be someone in there to guard the place. Kill them. Kill them with anything you can. The boss has this new 'squad' that help guard his identity, so if we kill them one by one, he'll panic because his defences are coming down."  
I stood up, laughing.  
"This is great! All I need is for him to make a move! So really, if he wants to guard his identity that badly, it's his fault that a member of his useless 'squad' got killed! I could probably provide a reasonable alibi because I wouldn't be the one to do it!"  
Levi stood up and hugged my waist from behind.  
"This is why I'm glad you were on my case from the start. It would have been boring if you weren't so smart."  
I snickered.  
"It looks like I've learned from the best."

  
  - **12: 00 P.M**

  
**Armin's Office-**

  
Eren's been acting normal. He's oblivious to the murder that happened on Monday like I expected...I just can't get rid of the feeling that -something- is going to happen. I don't have a sixth sense or anything like that, but this feeling in my gut keeps getting stronger and stronger.  
"Petra."  
"Sir?" She saluted me sharply.  
"I want you to guard the office tonight...I just have this feeling something is going to happen and I want you to stay over night and inform me if anything does happen. I'm awfully sorry for this, I know you won't like the idea but-"  
"Sir, it's whatever you need me to do. We're all here to serve you and protect you, so we need to make sacrifices. If you order me to do something, I won't complain."  
I smiled at this, feeling slightly better about taking her night away.  
"Thank you...Really."  
She gave me a closed eye smile and walked away.

  
"How do I forgive myself if I'm right and something does happen?"  
I sighed, turning in my chair.  
"Everything was simpler in the lab...With Eren...When he wasn't..."  
I let out a large sigh and stared up at the darkening sky.  
"I'm sorry, Petra...I'm so, so, sorry...Please forgive me...Please."


	8. Tuesday 7: 00 P.M

**Tuesday 7: 00 P.M**

   
**Levi's Break In-**

  
Getting into the building was easy enough. The front door to the place wasn't locked, so someone's in here...Maybe Eren's boss did expect a visit.  
I sighed loudly as I made my way through the building, remembering where everything was.  
Finally reaching the boss's office, I placed my gloved hand on the handle, moving to open the door. It was locked.  
"Mother fucker. Every door aside from this one -had- to be unlocked-" I gritted my teeth and rolled my eyes.  
Kneeling in front of the door, I sighed and took the hairpin I had in my pocket out. I thought everything would have been locked, so I brought it just in case. Where I got it from was a mystery even for me...I don't regularly clean out my coat pockets, surprisingly.  
I sighed and broke it in half, taking off the rubber on one end with my teeth. Spitting it out, I started picking the lock on the door. Pleasantly, it was easier than I thought it would be.  
"Who's there-?"  
I paused, not opening the door fully...That voice...I remember hearing it so vividly.

* * *

  
"You missed a spot." I rolled my eyes at Petra's dreadful cleaning. Why can no one clean to the same standard as I can? It's so annoying!

Sitting down, I let the others clean while I tried to find more about this stupid detective that's on my case. For some reason or another, there's no information on him and it's bugging me! Shouldn't the detective force have information of their workers? What doesn't help, is the fact that they're now secretive with their cases.  
"Is this clean now?" Petra asked, pointing to the spot she previously missed.  
"Yes." I said sharply after taking a long stare at her cleaning; She saluted and walked away.  
Sighing in frustration, I kept on scrolling through the page.

* * *

  
That's who it was...Her!  
"Petra? What the hell are you doing here?"  
She instantly began to stutter.  
"L-Levi? I-I w-well...Y-You never came back one night so...I-I found s-somewhere to g-go."  
"Have you told anyone here anything about me?" I crossed my arms.  
"N-NO! I-I WOULD NEVER! Y-YOU...You saved me."  
I sighed, remembering what Eren had told me to do. For his sake, I had to do it.  
"Petra...I..."  
I reached into my pocket.  
"I'm sorry."  
"What do you mean? For leaving? It's- it's fi-" She instantly shut up at gunpoint.  
"L-Levi!" My hand didn't shake as I held the object I didn't want to use on her in one hand. How could I not do as Eren asked? Besides, Petra would have to lie to Eren's boss now that I've broken in and I have a feeling he wouldn't believe her. It's too late to try and get out of this now.  
"I have to do this...There's someone else I'm protecting and..."  
"I understand." Petra saluted, gulping as she closed her eyes, letting tears roll down her cheeks.  
"You sacrificed your life to help and protect everyone who came to you. I learned from you that we all need to put something on the line and if it's my life I need to put down, then so be it."  
I blinked.  
"Petra I-"  
"I don't want to be a problem any longer and if I'm in the way, get rid of the problem like you did for so many people...Like you did for me."  
I sighed, looking away as I pulled the trigger.  
"I'm sorry."  
I closed my eyes and sighed before putting the gun back in my pocket.

Now, I needed to look for Eren's files...If they were even in here.  
Half an hour of: tipping open draws, picking the locks of the filing cabinet, rummaging through folder after folder. Worth as much as shit!  
I sighed, noticing I had left the room in a tip.  
My eyes glanced over everything I'd threw on the floor within half an hour...Then to Petra, bleeding out.  
"The things I do for my Eren..."  
I picked her up and placed her on the large chair behind the desk, making sure she looked at least somewhat comfortable before throwing the broken hair pin on the floor and leaving.


	9. Wednesday 5: 00 A.M

**Wednesday 5: 00 A.M**

  
**Armin's Office-**

  
Tears pricked my eyes as I walked into my office. The state of the room told me all I needed to know: Eren's getting desperate.  
I gazed at the invaded files scattered around the floor, the open cabinet draws.Finally, my gaze settled on Petra. I took slow steps towards my chair which she was slumped over slightly on.  
"Sir..." Eld called, walking into the room with what could only be the other two following.  
"Petra...I'm so sorry...This is my fault!" A large sob erupted from within me as tears fell from my eyes.  
"Sir!" Eld put an arm around my shoulders.  
"Sir, this is not your fault. You couldn't anticipate his moves." I shook my head at this.  
"It is my fault. I did this -because- I anticipated his moves-  And now she's dead." I moved away from Eld and looked around on the floor.  
"The office was locked, I left a key for Petra if she needed to get out to use the bathroom or something..." I rummaged through the already invaded draw of my desk.  
"She didn't use it...So the lock was picked. That means Eren couldn't have done this." I claimed as I held the key between my fingers.  
"But doesn't Eren have it in for you, Sir? That's the impression we've been given." Olou asked, placing his hands on his hips...None of them seemed too distressed about losing a team member...They must have seen this countless times before...Brave souls.   
"He does have it in for me...But he has two people working with him. My guess is that he got someone to break in for him and look for his files. He obviously ordered them to shoot at whoever was in here." I moved strands of hair away from Petra's face to see a gunshot wound piercing her forehead. I tilted her head forwards.  
"The bullet went straight through...Look for a bullet on the floor, we might be able to find fingerprints on it! Maybe, whoever was in here loaded the gun first!" I ordered; all three quickly moved to the floor.  
"So, how did he get in? I know the lock was picked but what was used?" Gunther asked, moving a few files to the side of him.  
I gazed around the room, then smirked as I found a broken hair clip in the corner.  
"They picked the lock with a hair pin. Meaning it couldn't be Eren. Eren doesn't know how to pick locks, he's never shown any interest in picking locks. If it was Eren who got in, the door would have been broken down, but the hinges on that door are still there." I scooped up the hairpin on a sheet of paper and placed it on my desk.  
"With something so small, he might have left fingerprints on that too...I suppose we could go further and see which one of his 'friends' are responsible."  
All three looked up at me instantly.  
"How would we do that, Sir? If you don't mind me asking," I looked at Eld and smiled.  
"Well, Eren has two 'friends'. One we don't know the name of and 'Levi'. If we can find finger prints, this is the stranger's fault, if we can't find any, then this was 'Levi's doing."

  
I sighed after a while and watched as Eld managed to find the bullet.  
"Gunther? You'll be guarding the lab, so I want you to take the body down and put it in there. If someone gets in and you're not dead, you'll be able to tell us exactly what's been moved."  
He nodded and picked up Petra's body.  
"What do we do now, Sir?"  
I closed my eyes for a moment.  
"We do absolutely nothing." I pushed all my weight onto my hands, resting them on the edge of my desk.  
"S-Sir-"  
"Yes. We do nothing. We have cameras and a guard in front of the lab, do you really think Eren can get past both of those without us knowing? It's impossible." I cut them off before they could start asking questions, Shaking slightly.

  
  **12: 00 P.M**

  
**Eren's Desk-**

  
That's one down, now for the next. I bet the boss was panicking when he saw the state Levi had left his office in. My files we'ren't in there, so the only other place they could be are in the' closed lab'. It's not really closed, the boss is just using it as a storage room.

  
**Smart...But you ruined it by letting someone who's in on your little lie talk to us. Petra told us everything**

  
Petra told me there were cameras surveying the lab and a guard would be put outside the doors...So if I get Levi to shoot the guard from afar, and get Farlan to go inside and look for my files in there, the boss can't do anything! It's also his fault that another one of his 'squad' members die!  
Although, that isn't the only thing I'm concerned about. I still need to deal with the person Farlan spoke about...I need to know how they caught onto what we were doing and I also need to know why. If I don't get a straight answer I could always just kill them...But where's the fun in that? Over a month into this game is a little tiring, there's a need for fun every now and again when you're killing and trying to prove that you're innocent.  
If I was going to prioritise one of the two things I have going on, it would be to find out who the person Farlan spoke about is...If I pick out someone to kill at some point and take my time with them, hopefully the stranger will see and kill the victim before I do, that's when I'll get them and **make**  them talk to me...Sounds smart enough...  
**But will it work?**


	10. Thursday 11: 00 A.M

**Thursday 11: 00 A.M**

  
**Armin's Office-**

  
I was tired, but there was no way I would drink coffee. With what's been going on, I'd rather die than reflect anything Eren does.  
Sighing, I sat back in my chair. Giving a cold glare at the hairpin and bullet on the desk in front of me, I crossed my arms.  
"So, you got your little 'boyfriend' to do what you couldn't do." I muttered, letting my head roll to the side slightly.  
"If I could just catch you in the act...No...Maybe if I could draw you out on my own...I just need a motive...No...I don't need a motive...I just need a rough idea...You're a detective who fights crime and deals with murders so if you were going to start committing crimes for any reason...It would probably be to reduce crime rates...Is that what you're doing? You're killing others to help stop more crime from happening? What, do you think other's will be scared of you? That's just childish." I rolled my eyes and stood up, walking to the window of the room.  
My hands locked behind my back as I took in the view.  
"But then, why would you get a criminal to do the work you can't do? If you're killing people who have done something wrong, why would you keep 'Levi' around? Or maybe you're not killing people who have done something wrong?" I gazed at the clouds in thought.  
"You have to be doing that...There's no other reason for you to have killed in the first place, never mind keep it up for over a month..." I bit my lip and began pacing up and down in front of the window.  
"If I just had something...Wait...We should have got something long before now..."  
I pulled out my phone from my pocket and called Eld. I knew he wasn't far but I didn't want to leave my office. Not again.  
"Sir-"  
"Nile Dok. I'm trusting we have his wallet and his body is in the lab or where the other bodies that got moved are?"  
"Yes, but-"  
"Good. You're coming with me to go and interview his loved ones. Get your stuff together. I want to leave now." With that, I hung up.  
"I'm going to find out what you're thinking, Eren. If it kills me."  
I snatched my coat from the back of my chair and sighed.  
Two soft knocks came from the other side of the door.  
"Yes?"  
"Are you ready to go, Sir?"  
"Don't ask stupid questions." I giggled playfully and opened the door, following Eld, who made sure no one that was around us saw my face.

  
  **11: 00 A.M**

  
**Eren's Desk -**

  
The lab will be guarded and there will be security camera's looking down on the lab doors...My files ARE in there and I need to get them out...If Levi shoots at the camera and distracts the guard, Farlan could easily kill the guard from behind and get into the lab... That sounds like a way better plan then just shoot the guard and go in, plus, the Boss wouldn't see Farlan's face and that would make Farlan even more useful to me.  
For the other matter...I think I'll just - **have** \- to see to it myself. on my way home, I'll probably find someone in an alleyway or back street doing something I can use as an excuse to kill them...If I just take my time with them, the person who I want to see should just come out of hiding and kill the target for me...Theoretically, going by how Farlan explained his encounter with them, that approach should work...  
**Oh, the risks we take**


	11. Thursday 12: 00 P.M

**12: 00 P.M**

  
  **The Dok Household-**

  
Eld stopped his car and took his seatbelt off. He then paused.  
"So, why was this so sudden, Sir? If I can ask?"  
I simply smiled at Eld.  
"Curiosity can't be helped. This was so sudden because I needed this to happen now. This was actually supposed to have happened before now, but this didn't get done for some reason. " I explained, taking off my seatbelt and moving to get out of the car.  
"Was there a reason you chose me to go with you, Sir? I feel like you have a strong preference for me..."  
I laughed.  
"Is that a problem, Eld? I'd prefer to be with you when I'm not in my office because I feel safer with you. I feel like you're dedicated to your job and I know that if I was in serious trouble, you'd be the one to save me the quickest out of all the people on the squad. I feel like you care about me a little more than the others and that comforts me." I beamed yet another smile at him...Truth be told though...He reminded me of Jean...  
"R-Right...I-I see..." Eld smiled back...His cheeks...Splashed with the colour pink...Did I sound flirty there? I didn't mean too! What would Jean think? He'd turn in his grave! Eld blushed? Oh no...Don't tell me he's falling for me...I...NO! Thoughts. Out of head. Focus on the job.

  
"Wow...He had a decent house...Better than Eren's..." I mused, standing on the doorstep of Nile's house. Eld huffed out a small laugh and knocked on the door after passing through the small gate that shielded their front garden. Looking to the side, I smiled warmly at the small pot  that lay close to the door of the house. A small tree seemed to be starting to grow in it with a note attached to it reading: 'For Daddy! From Tim, Oliver and Sina! We love you!'  
Within a few moments, the door was opened by a young brunette.  
"Yes?" She asked politely. I could tell this was going to be hard. Without saying a word, me and Eld held up our ID cards from the detective force in unison. The woman's eyes were wide for a moment before she sighed sadly.  
"I-I see...Come in...Please don't mind the kids if they interrupt." She led us in.  
The house was very well decorated. Baby blue walls and laminate wooden flooring made up the hallway while a set of light grey carpeted stairs led up to the next floor.  
"Please, take a seat...Just not that one." She pointed to one of the chairs around a small, square table.  
"We're all terribly sorry for your loss...I can imagine how hard this must be...If it's any comfort to you, I've lost someone before." I said with sympathy as I took a seat, surrounded by white, semi tiled walls.  
"I see...Nile was...Nile was someone who would never do anything wrong. He...He didn't deserve this..." She stated, sighing.  
"No one does. We think we might know who did this to him, but we need to ask some questions and evaluate the situation just to be sure. I know this might be hard, but please try and answer my questions as detailed as you can...And if you feel the need to let something out, go ahead and do it. If you bottle your feelings up, it won't do you any good, alright?" I gave her a sympathetic smile as she nodded.  
"Right. So, can you tell us what Nile was doing or what he was planning on doing the night he had died?" I knew she already wasn't far from crying.  
"He was going out to drink with a few friends...He always did on Thursdays and Fridays at Five...He...He always made sure he wasn't late and he balanced his social life and home life perfectly."  
So, this man was a very caring soul...So why did Eren kill him? Was I really wrong about him going after people who had committed crimes or done something unjust?  
"I see...He must have been a joy to have around you..."  
Jean...Nile sounds like Jean...Jean would always spend enough time with me and his friends, he was a good person...He didn't deserve what came to him either...  
"Yes he...He was...I'm sorry-" She apologized as she bolted up, reaching for a tissue from the roll she had on one of her counters.  
"It's alright. I can't blame you for crying." I smiled at her as she wiped her eyes.  
"Th-Thank y-you." She nodded and sat down once again.  
"Did Nile ever do anything out of line? Maybe when he was feeling a certain way?" At this the woman nodded.  
"Oh?"  
"Nile couldn't really hold his drink...He was usually the first out of his friends to get drunk and when he was drunk he..."  
Here we go...This is where I'll find out if I'm right!  
"He...?"  
"He used to flirt with everything he saw. I didn't mind, of course, dare I say it, it was funny. But...There were times he flirted with girls he shouldn't have...Like, teenagers or younger girls. He never touched them, it was just verbal. Even when he spoke, he never said anything too creepy...Even if his speech was slurred."  
Noted.

Eren would think this was wrong.   
"I see-"

  
Before I could think of another question to ask, a child bounded into the room. He had his mother's eyes and smile. His hair was darker than his mother's and his face was slightly more rounded than hers. He looked around five or possible six judging by the height of him.  
"Mommy-Oh? Are these guests?" The child asked, grinning. I smiled.  
"These are detectives." His mother smiled.  
"This is Tim, my third child." She introduced him.  
"Hello, misters! So you're detectives?! That's awesome!" The child bounced on his toes.  
"Yes, we are. I'm the head of my work place and this is my partner. My name's Armin and this is Eld. It's nice to meet you, Tim." I chuckled and ruffled his hair.  
"Mommy says that detectives have dangerous jobs, is that true, Armin?" His smile didn't fade.  
"Oh, well, it depends what case you're put on." At this, he pulled a confused face.  
"You have 'cases'?! What are those?" He held a finger to his bottom lip.  
"Cases are...Hm...The problems you need to solve." I watched as his expression changed back to innocently happy yet curious.  
"Are you solving why Daddy hasn't come back?!" He bounced on the balls of his feet.  
"In fact, yes we already have-"  
"Mommy said that Daddy won't be coming back, is that true?!" I was taken back by the smile on his face as he asked.  
"Of course it isn't. Your Daddy's probably looking down on us right now, he's all around us." I smiled.  
"You mean, Daddy is still here?!"  
"Yes, but you can't see him. He's making sure that you're safe as we speak." I smiled.  
"Oh? OH! I NEED TO TELL THE OTHERS! THANK YOU MISTER!" With that, he ran off. I chuckled as I watched him go.  
"You're good with kids. Do you have any of your own?" At this, I keep the smile on my face.  
"No, actually...He wanted kids...But then he..."  
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize! Y...You didn't strike me as the type to be-"  
I laughed as she panicked.  
"It's alright, honestly."  
She nodded.  
"I only have one more question. I apologize for this. But, is there anything else you feel we should know?" I hated making he think about him.  
"I...I don't think so..."  
"Well, if you think of anything that you feel might benefit the investigation, please, let me know. Feel free to call the detective force and ask to speak to me. If you give your name, I'm sure someone will put you through to me instantly." I smiled and got up, tucking in my chair. I turned around, only to nearly get knocked over by three children.

  
"This is the one! This is Armin! The other one's Eld!" Tim yelled, hugging me along with the other two children. The tallest looked around ten while the other looked around eight.  
"You solved it, did you?!" The second tallest asked, looking up at me. She had her mother's hair and her mother's nose.  
I chuckled.  
"Yes, I believe I did." I smiled as they let go of me.  
"You're really a detective?!" The tallest asked. I nodded while giggling. The tallest was a male and looked to have the majority of his father's features.  
"How did you do it?! How did you solve it?!" I kneeled down to their level and made sure I had eye contact with all three of them.

  
"There will be a point where we'll all look down on our loved ones, we'll all keep them safe and watch from the sidelines until they join us. Your Daddy hasn't came back because he doesn't need too. It was his turn to watch from the sidelines and keep his loved ones safe." I smiled as all of them looked almost surprised, but none of them were crying...I was glad my words didn't hurt them.  
"When will it be our turn?!" Tim asked, curiously.  
I chuckled, ignoring the feeling of my heart dropping.  
"When life decides to choose you, you'll be chosen. That's why you need to live your life to the fullest." I ruffled the hair on their heads affectionately and looked over to their mother. She was just watching with a huge smile on her face, the tears spilling from her eyes began to dry.

  
"I WANNA BE A DETECTIVE!" The tallest one shouted, getting my attention.  
"Oh, do you? Hmm...Are you sure you're up for it?" I asked, narrowing my eyes playfully, making them all laugh.  
"YES! YES I AM!" He beamed.  
I chuckled and walked around him, 'studying' him with an exaggerated suspicious face making the children laugh harder.  
"What's your name, Cadet?" I stood straight in front of him.  
"Oliver, SIR!" He hit the floor with his foot as he stood with his back straight. I chuckled.  
"I'll be looking forward to working with you at some point, Oliver." I held out my hand for him to shake.  
"Me too, Sir." He smiled, laughing.

  
"S-Sir?" A small voice asked. It was the sister of the trio.  
"Yes?" I answered with a smile. This must be Sina.  
"Did you ever have someone who looked over you?" She asked, slightly shy but she was still curious.  
"Yes, in fact, he's still looking over me now." I smiled, kneeling back down to her level.  
"Even now?" She blinked.  
"Yes, he'll be looking over me until I can join him. The people looking over you never leave your side." I held her hand.  
"B-But what if I miss Daddy?" She sniffed slightly, looking at the floor. my heart slowly sank further.  
"I'm sure that your Daddy misses you too. But you need to stay strong for him, show him how far you'll go with him watching you. Show him how far his little girl will go before she has to look over the people she loves too." I smiled. It was a moment before she looked me in the eye, smiling slightly as she held back a few tears.  
"Daddy will be proud, right?"  
"Of course he will. You'll be able to feel him smile." Tears pricked my eyes as she launched herself onto me, hugging me tightly. I gently hugged back.  
"Do him proud, alright?" I started as she let go of me. I stood up.  
"All of you?" I smiled as they all nodded in unison and ran back upstairs.

  
"Thank you...Y-Your way with words...He was lucky, whoever he was." I smiled at the young mother's words.  
"Thank you...Your children are charming." I giggled and walked towards the door.  
"Please, make sure you contact me whenever you feel like you have something. Or if you just need someone to talk to, I'll be happy to help and so will Eld." I smiled.  
"I just...Thank you so much again. I've never seen my children that happy around a guest before. When I told them Nile wasn't coming back...They were silent for at least a day and they weren't so energetic. I just can't thank you enough, I never thought about putting it that way to them."  
"It's alright." I bowed politely and smiled one more time before leaving.  
Taking a few steps out of the building, I squinted at the sunlight. I was just about to walk out of their front garden when a small child's cry stopped me.

  
"ARMIN! MISTER, WAIT!" I turned to see Tim running after us.  
"Yes?" I smiled.  
"We have something for you!" He beamed a smile at me. I quickly glanced to the door where Oliver and Sina stood.  
"Oh?"  
Tim took my hand and placed an origami swan in it. I blinked, gasping.

  
The paper was a little bit rough around the edges and was creased in places it didn't look like it should be. On one wing, a thick, black marker had written out the words: 'Thank you, Armin! We'll look over you when it's our turn!' on the other wing, it simply stated their names.   
Tears pricked my eyes once more.  
"How sweet of you. Thank you, all of you. You're all so very kind." I smiled at them and chuckled.

  
I waved good bye to all three of them as Tim ran to the door and joined the others.  
Turning around, I heard the door shut.

  
"She was right, you know."  
Eld started as we got back into his car.  
"You are good with kids...No, you're brilliant with kids."  
At this, I felt heat rise to my cheeks.  
"Th-Thank you."


	12. Thursday 6: 10 P.M

**Thursday 6: 10 P.M**

  
**Eren's Route Home-**

  
Finishing the last drop of coffee in my cup, I sighed and threw the empty cup behind me. Wandering through backstreet after backstreet, I needed to find something -anything- for me to deal with. This was possibly the worst night of my life so far! I hated doing my work 'on the beat' as a police officer and this felt like I was back in those days. God, I hated it!  
After a while of walking, I turned yet another corner. A smirk then found it's way onto my lips.

  
"L-Let go of me! Th-That's mine!" A blonde woman shrieked as her attacker snatched her bag from her and started going through it right in front of her.  
Letting out a small chuckle, I already knew what I was going to do, I made my presence known.  
"You know, if you're going to pick on anyone, at least make sure it's a fair fight between you." Only lifting my head up slightly, I watched how the coward with the bag froze.  
"Drop the bag and let her go on her way." I ordered, a slight growl suddenly found itself in my voice. With a loud whimper, he did as I said and started to shake; I simply smirked.

  
"Th-Thank you!" The blonde quickly thanked me and ran for it, leaving me and the bastard alone.  
"So, as a respectable detective, what should I do...I could call the police and let them deal with it?" At this suggestion, the coward seemed to relax a little...

**We can't have -that- now, can we?**

  
"But then again," I started, walking towards him. The more steps I took, the more tense he grew. For every click my shoe made as it connected to the floor, moving forwards, his feet did the same, moving backwards. Until I had him backed up against the cold, brick wall in front of me.  
"Where's the fun in that, hu?" I smirked a twisted smirk as I whispered those words in his ear, gripping his shoulders as I felt him tremble and shake.  
"Wh-What? What else ca-Can you do?!"  
As much as I wanted to kill him with the knife I had in my pocket right then and there, I had to keep him talking...At least until 'they' got here.  
"Oh, many things. If you don't run, you'll give me time to tell you about all of your choices in detail."  
I felt my hands twitch...Then my eye...This wasn't good! I had done so well to not show any signs of insanity at work, the last thing I need is to give in to it here.  
"S-Sir, a-are y-you ok?" He stuttered, watching my eye twitch violently.  
"Oh, me? I'm fine...You, however...Not so much." Before I knew what I was doing, a sadistic giggle changed into a loud laugh as I drew the knife from my pocket.  
"WH-WHAT THE-"  
"Shhh..." I pressed the back of the small knife to the man's lips, twitching even more.  
Were they even coming? I don't think I can hold on for much longer!  
"We could either take this slow, you'd feel the terror that woman felt as you tried to mug her. I would drive my knife into you slowly as you'd yell out at me to stop. No one will hear you and I won't stop either. You'd squirm and shriek as you would feel your own blood run down your arm but it wouldn't stop there. I'd make sure you were in agony by the time I was done with you, then and only then would I let you die." I purred, taking a moment to let out a dark chuckle that was caught in my throat.

"Or, we could do this the easy way. You tilt your pretty little head back and I'll slice my knife straight through your neck."  
"Pl-Please, I-I just want to g-go home-"  
"Home?"  
The coward nodded, a tear falling from his eyes.  
"Oh, please. She was going home until you caused her trouble. You've had this coming since you even thought of mugging her." I snickered as he struggled, trying to pry my hands off of his shoulders.  
"Let me guess, you're one of those people that likes it to be over and done with quickly, am I right?" I tilted my head and sighed, looking slightly bored.  
"I-I s-suppose if-If I h-Have to go."

  
I heard footsteps behind me draw to a halt...It worked...It was them!  
"Fine, I suppose I'll give you that much. Coward." I shrugged slightly and slashed my knife through his neck, watching him turn pale at the feeling. It wasn't long before he fell to the floor, bleeding out.

  
"Eren Jaeger, hu?" A voice from behind me sighed.  
"So it's you. The one Farlan saw?" I turned, the blood on the knife ran down my hand and down my arm.  
"My, ya' sure don't mind gettin' ya' hands dirty for the sake of my big bro!" Getting a closer look, the female in front of me had similar eyes to mine. Her hair was brown with a tint of red, two pigtails stuck out from either side of her head while a awkward fringe covered her forehead.  
"Big...Bro?" I asked, confused.  
"Yeah, Levi. Ya' heard a' him, right?" She beamed me a smile.  
"I..."  
My blood began to boil. First, Farlan was only mentioned when he randomly appeared and now this girl is claiming to be his sister?! Excuse me?! Why am I never told these things? Does he expect me to accept strangers in like it's nothing? HE FORGETS THAT IT'S -MY- APPARTMENT! DOES HE HAVE ANY OTHER 'FRIENDS OR RELATIVES' THAT HE WANTS TO TELL ME ABOUT?!  
Trying to calm down, I thought about what Levi and Farlan had told me when they were explaining how they knew each other...That's right...This must be Isabel.  
"I see...His brother? You must be Isabel, then." I smirked as her eyes widened.  
"'Ee talks about me?" She asked, almost excited.  
"No. Not really, he's only mentioned you once. I just have a good memory."  
At this, I could see her heart sinking.  
"Oh-Righ'..."  
With an annoyed sigh, I grabbed her hand and began walking.

  
"WOA! WOA!" She pulled her hand back.  
"Ya' not gunna kill me, are ya'?"  
I rolled my eyes.  
"Why would I kill you? Levi lives with me, I guess you were out here because you have no idea where he is?" I scowled at her.  
"Oh! 'E does? Wait...Is 'e...Gay?" She raised an eyebrow.  
"So what if he is?" I crossed my arms. She seemed to suddenly bounce on her toes.  
"'AVE YA' KISSED?!"  
"KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN!"  
I turned around and walked with her following.

The nerve!

Levi will have -a lot- to explain when I get home. If I find -one- more person who knows who he is and knows my name as well, I'll kill them. Regardless of who they are or what they have to say. This is the last one now.


	13. Thursday- 6: 50 P.M

  **6: 50 P.M**

  
**Eren's Apartment-**

  
Opening my apartment door, I shoved Isabel inside before entering after her.  
"Take your shoes off and go sit." I pointed to the living room area with a slight growl in my voice as I took my shoes off.  
"A-Alrigh'..."  
With crossed arms, I took a seat in the living room area and sighed.  
"Someone looks pissed...You...Alright?"  
I ignored Levi and stared at Isabel. Catching on, he followed my stare and seemed to smile.  
"So you found him then."  
WHAT?! HE WAS EXPECTING THIS?!  
"BIG BRO!" Isabel ran down the hall and threw herself onto Levi, laughing.  
Looking away from the sight, I turned my gaze to the floor before pinching the bridge of my nose and closing my eyes.  
"S-Sir?" Farlan sat next to me, concerned. Suddenly the laughing stopped.  
"Eren?"  
I gritted my teeth.  
"Levi, are there any other 'friends' I might find on the street that you want to tell me about?" I felt the warm atmosphere drop slightly.  
"Eren I-"  
"You're not sorry." I interrupted him.  
"If she had done something that would have got me caught, it would be game over. If I -ever- get caught there's no doubt I'd be sentenced for life or maybe even sentenced to death. Do you know how many people I've killed? One more and I'll have a round number of kills. How dare you expect me to just run into her! If there's anyone else you're expecting me to run into, tell me now!" Levi only blinked.  
"N-No...There's no one else...I only knew Isabel was out of jail because I saw her when she killed Farlan's target. If I knew she was out already I would have told you when me and Farlan mentioned her to you." I only nodded.  
"If I find anyone else who knows you and my name, I'm going to kill them. Just a forewarning." I stood up.  
"Anyway, speaking of killing, there's something I need you and Farlan to do," Both of them awaited my order.  
"Levi, you remember where the lab is, right?" He nodded.  
"And Farlan?"  
"Yes, Sir?"  
"You'll need to fol-"  
"Why does 'e call ya' 'Sir?" Isabel interrupted me.  
"He works for me. He calls me that because he wants to I suppose?" As much as I wanted to mentally kick myself that was the best answer I could give. I never asked him to start calling me 'Sir', I guess he just kind of...Did?  
"'E works for ya'? Ya' do the same as big bro?" Isabel tilted her head.  
"No," I scoffed slightly.  
"It started like that, but now I'm killing to get out of suspicion from the people I work with. It's a very long and complex story..."  
"I wanna work w' ya' too!"  
I blinked.  
"You...You want to what?"  
"I wanna do wha' Farlan n' big bro are doin'! Ya' brought me to big bro, I wanna pay ya' for it!" Isabel beamed.  
**That's why Farlan helped too. Well, that and for the shelter...What's the worst that could happen? She didn't mess up and she's obviously done serious things to get a larger sentence...According to Levi and Farlan anyway...That means she's probably less likely to say no to an order...So if anything...This might be a good thing...**  
"Alright..."  
The three of them blinked at me.  
"What?"  
"I-I can really do wha' they're doin'?!" Isabel bounced on her feet.  
"Sure...You didn't fuck anything up when you killed Farlan's target so...I guess you're a benefit for me-"  
She launched herself onto me, laughing.  
"THANK YOU!"  
I awkwardly patted her back as she hugged me...The only thing we'll need to work on is how easily excited she is...  
She soon let go of me and smiled at me giddily.  
"Right...So, Farlan,"  
"Yes, Sir?"  
"You'll need to follow Levi until you get close to the lab. I want you to go after the guard, after Levi," I gazed at Levi.  
"Shoots the cameras that are looking down on the lab." He nodded and so did Farlan.  
"Then, go into the lab and try to find my files. I want you to use the same guns so it looks like it was pulled off by one man and Levi, shoot the cameras before Farlan gets too close to the guard. I'll trust the both of you not the get caught."  
They both nodded.  
"Wha' do I do, wha' do I do?!" Isabel asked eagerly.  
"Uh..."  
I thought for a moment. I had planned this as a two man job...How could I fit someone else in there too...Would it be too risky?  
"Follow them and guard the lab after they go in. Make sure no one aside from those two get into the lab." With this, she nodded quickly.

  
**Now then...Once we have our files we'll see what the boss knows about us...From there, we'll make our next move.**


	14. Friday 7: 00 P.M

  **7: 00 P.M**

  
  **The File Hunt-**

  
As expected, the doors were open just like the last time someone was in the building, I figured I wouldn't need anything to pick a lock with seeing as I had two people beside me who would be more confident blowing the locks clean off of doors.  
"So this is the work place, huh?" Farlan whispered to me with a smirk.  
"Yeah, pretty nice, right?" I replied with the same smirk he had on his lips.  
"So when 'e said 'lab'...Did 'e mean a 'science lab full of sciency stuff'?" Isabel asked, walking with a spring in her step. I simply shrugged.  
"So...You shoot the camera and I shoot the guard, right?" Farlan asked as we got closer to the floor the lab was on.  
"That's right..."  
I stopped in the tracks...Just then, a question found its way into my mind.   
"Isabel?"  
"Yeah, big bro?"  
I looked around quickly just to check no one was near us.  
"How did you know Armin was the new boss? Surely you would have seen something?" At this, she giggled quietly.  
"Nah, I just 'ave a good memory. I 'eard tha' ya' was with Eren by over'earin' someone's conversation in the locka', I also 'eard some guy called 'Armin Arlert' was the boss." She shrugged.  
"I kinda put two together when I was listinin' to ya' call 'cause it was weird. One, ya' wouldn' call the police  to repor' a crime and two, I knew ya' was with Eren so you must have been callin' the police for 'im. Maybe 'e asked ya' too or somethin'." She smiled at me innocently.  
Isabel was always one to earwig. Not that it was a bad thing most of the time, but she did get in shit for it a few times in the past.  
"How did you know he was working with Eren?" Farlan asked. Isabel only giggled.  
"I saw ya' talk to 'im the first time." At this, Farlan blinked.  
"And you didn't think to say 'Hey, I'm out of jail now.'"  
"Where's the fun in tha'?" I scoffed at her words. She had gotten that attitude from me.  
"Anyway, now that, that's cleared up we need to do this. Anymore time wasting and the guard might fall asleep." I rolled my eyes and moved forwards, the both of them following.  
A few minutes of walking and we found the lab. Sure enough, there was a guard staring in front of the door...Unarmed? All three of us backed up behind the wall that curved into the corridor, after looking at the situation.  
"This will be easy, he hasn't got anything on him." Farlan whispered.  
"What kind of a 'Boss' gives a guard literally nothing to defend himself with? He was expecting us to come here." I rolled my eyes yet again.  
"Well. How do we do this? When you shoot the camera it'll get his attention."  
I smirked.  
"He can pay as much attention as he likes, when that camera's gone, he's a dead man anyway. Did you forget that? As long as the Camera's gone, we're in." Farlan smiled at me as I took a few steps forward. I closed my eyes for a moment, wishing myself luck. As easy as it was to 'shoot a camera' this one was a small one on the ceiling, the last thing I need was to miss this.  
Taking a breath in, I took aim. Making sure the guard wasn't looking my way, I shot the camera.  
Instantly, the guard took to a fighting stance, facing me as the camera dropped to the ground.  
I smirked.  
"Hey there. You must be tired. What kind of a boss leaves you here with nothing to defend yourself wi-"  
The sound of an obnoxious alarm beeping filled my ears suddenly, making me jump.  
"I'd love to talk, but it looks like we've already ran out of time! Farlan!" I moved out of the way so Farlan could shoot the guard dead with one bullet.  
"Shit! That's why he didn't give the guard anything to protect himself with!" I mentally kicked myself for not even thinking about the possibility of an alarm. Something important was in the lab and it had better be Eren's fucking files.  
I made a move to open the door. Locked.  
"For fuck sake!" I growled and shot at the lock on the door several times before the door actually opened.  
"Right, we don't have much time. That's either a police alarm or an alarm Armin set to protect whatever the fuck's in here. Get the files and get the fuck out!" I shoved Isabel and Farlan into the room before going in myself.  
Isabel started looking in the corner of the room, rummaging through boxes on the white counter while Farlan looked through cupboards.  
"Armin has a group of people protecting him. Seeing as the detective files aren't online anymore you might find their files in here too. If you do, take them. I'm pretty sure if the file has the word 'Squad' on it anywhere, it's useful!" I ordered, watching both of them nod.  
My eyes grazed over the room, trying to find a place to look that wouldn't waste my time.

  **7: 20 P.M**

  
**Armin's Lab-**

  
I jumped at the sound of the alarm, then smirked.  
"You fell for it! YES!" Grabbing the gun I had in one of my draws, I rushed down to the lab.  
I knew that I didn't want to sacrifice Gunther, but what other choice did I have? If I didn't put someone on the door, they probably wouldn't have shot at the camera and set off the alarm. By putting someone outside the lab, their choices were either: take out the guard and show me your faces, or shoot the camera and set off the alarm. It looks like I'm not the only one who wants to keep my identity a secret.  
Gripping my gun tightly, I sighed, trying to calm down my adrenaline rush before pointing the gun in front of me, turning around, facing the lab.

  
No one was there.

  
"So you're hiding? Smart...Even if I don't find you, I know what you're here for. You're here for his files, aren't you? Have them!" I smirked, my eyes dancing around the room.  
"You're very loyal to have came all this way just to kill a man and get some paper, I'll give you that. I hope you realize that you could have just killed the guard and came in. He had the key on him too. The only reason why an alarm sounded was because one of you shot the camera!"  
No sighs of frustration, no tuts or foot stomps...Did I miss them? Are they already gone?  
No...No they aren't. I can sense them...I -know- at least -one- of them is here.  
"If you come out now, I won't have to start shooting!" I warned, trying to be as quiet as I could with my breathing and steps.  
The alarm stopped. Just like it should have after a few minutes.  
I held my breath as I heard shuffling.  
"Where are you..." I muttered, pulling back the large curtain at the end of the room.  
No one.  
Then, I heard foot steps. Turning around, I was just in time to see the shadow of two figures running out of the lab.  
I rolled my eyes and took a few steps to leave...Just as I was about to leave, a gun clicked from behind me.  
"Ah, so it's a three-man-job, hu?" I smirked.


	15. Friday- 7: 25 P.M-

**7: 25 P.M**

  
**Armin's Lab-**

  
"I'm starting to hold a real fucking grudge against you." I turned to see 'Levi' behind me.  
"I did say you could have the files." I shrugged innocently and held my gun up to him, mirroring him.  
"So, Eren's getting desperate? My squad intimidated him, didn't they? It can't be helped." I taunted, watching Levi grow angrier by the second.  
"You -are- connected to him, aren't you? If you were just 'protecting' him, you wouldn't be getting so angry. Funny...I thought he might have been gay but I never thought for a moment that the 'bad boys' were his type."  
I then raised an eyebrow as Levi quickly smirked.  
"Hm, I thought you might have been gay when I first saw you, but I never thought for a moment that defenceless horses were your type." At this, I growled.

  
" **How dare you**."

My mood suddenly dropped, playful talk dissolved into anger.  
"Oh, look at that, did I hit a nerve?" He purred, snickering as he moved closer to me.  
There had to be a reason why Eren got involved with him. He was obsessed with him before he started killing and there had to be a reason other than 'I'm on his case and I want to know everything I can about him'...If I find that out I might be able to find out more about why Eren started killing. So far, I already know that he kills people that have done wrong in his eyes...But then if that's the case, Levi being here doesn't fit into the equation...Wait...

  
"You know, Jean might have slipped up, but at least he didn't have to kiss me in an alleyway to get me to fall in love with him." I narrowed my eyes, studying Levi.  
A dust of pink found its way onto Levi's cheeks. His shoulders tensed and his grip on his gun tightened.  
"That's what you did. You knew he would be easy to manipulate, so you took advantage of him going to find you alone. You knew he wanted to know more about you...I bet you enjoyed knowing he was obsessed with you." I growled.  
That's why Eren started killing. He didn't start on his own, all he needed was a little push...This bastard knew -just- how to do it.  
"Just so you know, detective, you haven't pieced it together in that pretty little head of yours. It's not like I told him to kill someone and he did it instantly."  
I blinked.  
Eren works in a weird way. If you manage to get some kind of emotion out of him, it's easy to get him to do what you want...Was there a way Levi could have known this before they met? No...No of course not...  
"Tch. Stop trying. You won't figure out why he started killing until he tells you himself."  
I let a small laugh pass through my lips.  
"You think I'll let him get close enough to me to tell me?"  
Levi then laughed in return, lowering his gun and walking closer to me. He rested his hand on my shoulder.  
"No, you won't let him get close to you. He'll force his way closer to you. You remember the award ceremony, right? The night of Hanji's death?"  
I nodded, turning to look at him. He moved his hand as I pulled my arm down, the gun aiming at the floor.  
"Who killed her?"  
With slightly confused eyes, I answered.  
"You did..."  
"Wrong. I shot her, but Eren planned it. The whole thing. The other's breaking in, the idea of those other people starting fights, everything." I felt him smirk as I looked down.  
Eren...Eren planned that? He had us right where he wanted us...All of us...He -let- Hanji die...He's a bigger threat than I thought...I don't want to do what I think I have to do...But if he's willing to make sacrifices like that just for one person to die...What else am I supposed to do?  
"Well, that's food for thought. I'll be leaving now." He let out a dry chuckle that lasted a moment.  
"The more I stand here and look at you the more I want to shoot you in the head." Levi started mumbling underhead breath.  
"But then, where would the fun be in that?" With those words echoing through the lab and my ears, I let him go. I didn't stop him, I didn't move, I didn't say anything. I just let him go.  
Eren...Why do you have to make me do this? I don't want to do this but I feel like it's my only option...If you want to come after my defences...I'll have to come after yours...If you can plan something as large as what happened that night, I need you in before you place anymore lives at risk just for one kill...It's funny to think that you would flip if you heard about someone doing what you did...People change.  
I pulled out my phone from my pocket and called the only person I knew who would comfort me. The ringing was loud in my ears...

  
"Erwin..."

  
"Sir?"


	16. Friday- 7: 36 P.M

**7: 36 P.M**

  
**Armin's Lab-**

  
"I want to see you on Monday. In your old office at five. No later than half five." I spoke in a monotone as my mind tried to embrace what I had to do.  
"Is something the matter, Sir-"  
"STOP THAT! You know my name and you don't work under me. You're simply my shoulder to lean on."  
"A-Armin, I-"  
"I'm sorry..." I sighed slightly as I turned the corner, away from the lab and further to my office.  
"Petra and Gunther are dead." I started, hearing Erwin sigh slightly.  
"And it's all because of me." I could feel tears well up in my eyes as I took what I have just said in fully.  
"What do you mean?" Erwin asked. I sniffed and stopped. Leaning against the wall behind me.  
"I knew that when Eren was feeling desperate for information we had on him, he would try to find the files we have on him. I had Petra in the office overnight so if anyone did come in, she would be able to handle it and if it was Eren, she could contain him. She was shot. Shot in the head by Eren's -boyfriend- Levi." I sniffed a little more and took deep breaths, trying not to break.  
"Levi? You mean, The Levi that killed his mother? The Levi that he was investigating?"  
I sighed as a tear rolled down my cheek.  
"Yes. That one...Look, I didn't tell you this because I thought that it was nothing but...You remember when Eren got an email from someone posing to be Levi and he went out to try and catch him?"  
"Yes...And he said no one showed up...Was he..."  
"Lying? Yes. Levi had not only spoke to him, but also kissed him. Eren was already obsessed with Levi when he was on his case, so, I think that Levi must have toyed with his feelings a little." I heard Erwin hum slightly. I carried on walking, drying my eyes the best I could with one hand.  
"I see...What happened to Gunther?"  
"I..." A large sob erupted from my throat.  
"I knew that Eren would send someone in for the files once he found they weren't in the office. I-I put a camera outside the door of the lab and I put Gunther on the door. Th-They shot the camera and killed him- I- I'M SO SORRY! YOU GAVE YOUR SQUAD TO ME FOR PROTECTION AND NOW THEY'RE DYING LEFT AND RIGHT AND IT'S ALL MY FAULT!"  
"Armin! Armin, calm down. A good leader is someone who is willing to make large sacrifices like that and I'm proud that you did what you thought was right. Calm down, it's alright."  
My breathing was irregular, my face burning red.  
"B-BUT ERWIN, I-"  
"Listen to me." I choked on a sob before trying my best to calm down.  
"This happened. It, by no means, makes you a murderer and it by no means at all makes your choice the wrong one." I knew he couldn't see me, but I nodded.  
"Now, you said 'they shot a camera'? Who's 'they'?"  
The two shadows of figures running away from the lab played over in my mind.  
"Eren has three people working for him, including Levi. He must have saw your squad with me and got ideas." I sniffed, reaching my office.  
"I see..."

  
I entered my office and sat down in my chair after shutting the door behind me.  
"Armin. Do what you need to do. I know the Eren can't keep this up forever and I know we'll catch him. If my squad end up dying during the process then it's no one's fault. They died for a good cause." His words put my mind at ease...  
"I...Thank you. Erwin...I still want to see you on Monday. I need to speak to you in person. Please don't be late."  
"I wouldn't dream of it. Sir."  
I smiled as he hung up the phone.

  
_Yeah...It's not -my- fault...I had to do it...A good leader is one that makes sacrifices..._

  
I folded my arms on the desk and rested my head on them, closing my eyes.  
"You're alright, Armin. I'm proud. Even if you die trying to get him, I'm so goddamn proud of you for coming this far."  
Jeans voice filled my ears as I drifted off to sleep, the last thing I remember was seeing his face. His lips formed a proud smile and his arms were open lovingly...You didn't deserve to die, Jean...Not at all.


	17. Monday- 5:00 A.M

**Monday- 5:00 A.M**

  
**Armin's Office-**

  
"So," I started, turning my head slightly as Erwin walked through the door. My stance mirroring his signature stance when he was in my position.  
"I see you came on time. Take a seat." I ordered as I heard his footsteps on the carpet. I turned fully. Watching him sit down.  
"I want you to start work here again. With my squad dying, there's no one else who can protect me. I'm fine with staying in here all day and working behind the scenes but I want a line of protection. I only have two members of the squad left. Oluo, and Eld. I want you to stay here with me and help me." Erwin nodded at my words.  
"I know that you might end up dead and I've tried my best to mentally prepare myself for that. If Eren wants to get close to me I suppose he'll have to go through my squad and you...As much as I regret to ask this, I'll need you to lay your life on the line again. Just one more time. When we catch Eren, you can leave this building and never look back at it again, but right now I need you here." I sat down.  
"It's fine, Armin. I'll be here for as long as I need to be. I'll be happy to help you." Erwin gave me a reassuring smile that I couldn't return.  
"I'm glad." I nodded and sighed.  
"Are you...Alright?" Erwin asked, reaching over the desk to grab one of my hands.  
"Yes. I'm...Eren planned Hanji's death. We need to get rid of him quickly. We-" I was cut off by Eld bursting into the room.  
"I'm sorry, Sir-- And Sir? But there's been a murder that you need to see." He panted.  
"Erwin. Go with them. I want you to hold this." I leaned down to pick up one of my laptops that was lying just beside my chair on the floor.  
"This will work a bit like a Skype call. I have another laptop," I pulled out my other laptop and the mic I used to cover my voice from one of the desk's draws.  
"Right here. Make sure I can see what's going on." Erwin nodded and took the laptop I had while I connected my mic to the other one.  
After Erwin took a deep breath, him and Eld left.  
I closed my eyes for a moment.  
"How did you plan Hanji's death...I want to avoid searching your house because I would guess you have files and other papers there that we could confuse for other things. You always had -something- relating to work in your house...Did you just sit down and talk? Does that mean that Levi and the other two are living with you? No...The other two have no part in this. Hanji's death was a two-man-job. So you -did- just sit down and plan her death...How sick...Levi must have manipulated you more than I first thought..." I sighed.  
"If we had a way to monitor you while you didn't know...THAT'S IT"  
I quickly grabbed my phone and called Oluo.  
"I want you to pull back. I assume you're with Eld and Erwin, right?"  
"Y-Yes, Sir."  
"Good. I need you back at my office, right away. When you come in, come in quietly, in case I'm looking at the murder scene. Understood?"  
"Yes, Sir." I then hung up.

  
I have a brilliant idea...

  
  **4: 00 A.M**

  
**Eren's Route Home-**

  
Red. The color red...It means so many different things...  
The stench of blood was already starting to soak into me as I killed one of ten gang members. Luckily for me, I decided to go on a little walk with Levi, when we ran across what looked like a large street gang planning to break into somewhere. Following Levi's advice, we both had a knife, a gun and rubber gloves on us for just in cases.   
Smirking, me and Levi both hid behind the corner and listened to what they were going to do:

  
two people would watch from across the street to act as 'witnesses' so anyone else that saw the break in wouldn't call the police because they would think that those two were and the rest of them would stand back as two others broke in. They would all go in together and take as many things as possible before leaving.

  
I had to assume they would just run away seeing as they didn't exactly plan where to go from there.

  
By now, Levi had dealt with the two 'witnesses' by acting as an under cover police officer and leading them away to be 'interviewed' and I had managed to anger the remaining eight enough for them to follow me into an empty back street with no security cameras.  
"Seriously, not even planning how to get away with it. How stupid -are- you exactly?" I asked as they all surrounded me, looking only slightly scared as one of their gang members lay bleeding out next to me, his blood covering the whole of my sleeve.

  
"Who even asked you to get involved, punk!" At this, I scoffed. Insults like that..I haven't heard those in a while. Funnily enough, this 'punk' was the only one acting brave out of all of them.  
A snicker evolved into a loud roar of laughter. I watched them all take a step back.

  
**Yes. Now get scared. Cowards.**

  
"The voices." I smirked and pulled my gun out of my pocket, hearing them all gasp.  
"Y-You're...What the-" I dealt with the 'brave' one with a bullet straight through the head. I grinned as he collapsed.  
"W-Woah, Woah, woah! Alrigh', calm down!" The remaining members were visibly shaking now, choosing to talk instead of run. Perfect!

Seeing they were armed with only batons and poles, I figured I didn't even need my gun and knife for much more. Smirking, I shot all of them once Keeping some alive, while killing others.

Soon enough I was already down to four men.  
"That's it. We tried to talk!" I dodged one's attack as they lunged at me. Tripping him up, I grabbed his metal pole. Hearing one come up from behind me, I let out a small laugh before turning around and swinging the pole, hitting him square in the jaw. His scream indicated I had broken it severely.

  
"Ops!" I laughed as another lunged at me.  
After a while of fighting, I had managed to deck myself in their blood by stabbing them, clobbering them with their own weapons and even using the other dead bodies as a human shield.

  
Now covered in the blood of eight people, I gripped my hair as I fell to my knees, not being able to control my laughter. The voices! They wouldn't stop  laughing! Suddenly, the thought of work caught up to me. I stopped laughing in one sharp intake of breath.  
Lifting my hands, I noticed how much blood painted them. Shifting my gaze to the brick wall, I smirked.  
Getting up, I staggered over to the beige, boring bricks. Struggling to walk from being a twitching, jolting mess.

  
"If you think this was me, you'll have to think again!" I muttered in a high pitched, breaking voice.

  
"You see, I'm not even going to be able to stand this! When you call me to this, I will act as sick as I can and say that I can't deal with it...Then who do you think would have done it, HUH?" I laughed as my hand met the cold bricks. In my files that Farlan managed to snatch, they had concluded that I had left some key evidence out of my investigation by ignoring it on purpose. If I left somethng that I couldn't seem to deal with, it might change their mind about suspecting me all the time.

  
despite my twitching arm, I had managed to write out the perfect message.  
"Solve...This...Detective!" I laughed and waited for Levi...He would know how to clean me up...

I looked around...Did I over do it?

**No...Of course not. They -all- deserved what was coming.**

  
I sat down in the blood bath I had created on the floor, trying to tame my insanity among the dead bodies in front of me.   


	18. Monday- 5: 30 A.M

**5: 30 A.M-**

  
  **The Murder Scene -**

  
"S-Sir?" I heard Eld stutter. I didn't have any visuals of the scene yet, but it must have been bad...I had never heard Eld's voice shake so much before.  
"Are you...Sure you want to see this?"  
I blinked...It couldn't be that bad, could it?  
I held down the button on my microphone before I spoke.  
"I'm not going to know what he's done if I don't see it. If I want to try and make my next move effectively, I'll need to see what he's done." Sitting back slightly, I sighed. The sight must be bad...But then what could Eren possibly have done? It couldn't be -that- bad, could it?  
"A-Alright then...I did warn you, Sir..." With that said, I had visuals...And suddenly wished I didn't.  
"It looks like he snapped..." Eld moved the laptop to give me a better angle of the scene...  
"I thought he did that ages ago..." I muttered. In front of me, were eight corpses that looked as if they'd taken an aggressive beating...With Eren's victims, I can guess that this was a gang planning something...But what doesn't make sense is the time...The murders are usually done in the evening going by when the bodies are found...So why did Eren do this in the morning in the early hours?  
"It looks like a range of items were used..." I stated as I looked at the bodies.  
"A-And it looks like you've been left a message?" Erwin took a hold of the laptop and gave me a view of the wall...A message was written in blood...  
"Solve this, Detective..." I read aloud with confusion flooding my voice.  
"Maybe he thinks we don't know it's him?" Eld suggested. At this, I shook my head with a scoff.  
"No, he knows what we know. He has his files now. He's planning to do something...He has to be..." I sighed slightly in thought...  
We already know it's him and he knows it...What could he be trying to pull here...I'm not used to not knowing for this long...  
A soft, few taps on the door stopped my trains of thought.  
"I want you to examine the scene. Anything you find, make a record of it. Also try to get these people's identities. We'll have to tell their families what's happened." I closed the lid of my laptop, cutting off my communication.  
"Come in, Oluo." I sat back as I watched the door open.  
"You needed me, Sir?" At this I nodded.  
"I have an idea and I'll need you to do something for me." Oluo nodded and sat down opposite me.  
"I'll need you to place a small microphone or some kind of recording device in Eren's jacket. I'm hoping you can obtain it yourself. We need to monitor him in his home and I don't want to visit his home for the sake of misunderstanding something. He always has -something- relating to work in his house and I know this because I've seen it...We can't afford to confuse something for something else." Oluo simply nodded.  
"I'm going to call Eren to the scene he's left. When he leaves, place the microphone in his jacket pocket carefully. He can't see it at all. If he realizes what we're trying to pull here, I'm afraid he might try something...Understood?"  
"Understood, S-" I winced as Oluo managed to bite his tongue...I feel sorry for that tongue...  
Oluo left the room after he'd gotten over the pain, leaving me time think...As I closed my eyes...I got the terrible feeling...That my squad's number would be cut short by one again...The sooner we catch Eren...The better.

  **6: 00 A.M-**

  
**Eren's Desk-**

  
I sat at my desk trying my best not to smirk. My shirt was spotless, along with my trousers...I knew Levi would know what to do. I did need to wear trainers instead of my usual shoes though, but that shouldn't be too hard to explain. If anyone asks, I'll just say that I managed to step in mud and so I needed to change the shoes. Trainers were the best I had.  
**Yet again, you've gotten away with murder...Speaking of murder...We really need to do something about the boss's squad...**

  
I covered my mouth as I felt the corners of my mouth twitch.

  
**You couldn't be more correct...But how we do that...Is anyone's guess at this point...But the sooner we get rid of the boss's squad....The better.**


	19. Monday- 11:00 A.M

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know this is short, b u t ,  
> I've hit a brick wall and I only have a few ideas, so, I'm writing what I have in hopes that It'll spark a new path to follow. Also, life decided it wanted to bite me and that's why this has taken forever and I'm SO sorry for that. My laptop broke, college happened, it was just-  
> ugh--  
> I also lost drafts of other chapters so I've needed to remember some things and now I've got to re-write them to that's fun.  
> ANYWAY, I'm so sorry for the long wait and if I can't think of anything after I've written what I've got, I'll try and get inspiration as QUICK as possible.  
> I'VE ALSO SPENT TIME EDITTING THIS AND THE FIRST PART TO IT!! SO I'VE NOT LEFT THIS ALONE COMPLETLY!  
> And you didn't even k n o w - I did it ooonn the slyy -

**11:30 A.M**

**Armin's Office-**

 

My face turned pale in an instant as I watched Eren heave from my computer screen. Both hands on his stomach, he was too busy focusing on the ground to take another look at the dead bodies in front of him. Was I wrong? Was this not him? It had to be! But...Then, why is he heaving? Is he trying to mess with my head? Then again, it doesn't look fake.

"Ohh-Oh my God-" He started, wheezing.

"It-It's too ear-ahg!" I cringed as he threw up; my fingers danced to the button on my microphone.

"Eren, maybe you should go home? I could always send another-"

"No...N-no, I got this." He silenced me and looked up again, gagging before covering his mouth.

"Th-This- Looks like..A ruth...Ruthless atta-ahck!" he coughed, moving his hand out of the way as more puke hit the pavement.

"M-Maybe by a group or s-Something...The bl-Blood on the wall-" He pointed to the bricks, not looking at it.

"Too thick to get finger prints...I-I think the best ca-caah-oh God!" He lowered himself to his knees, more vomit leaving his mouth. This was truthful...This couldn't have been an act...There's no way Eren could have made himself throw up like this.

"M-Monitor gang murders- S-See if there's evide-ehck!" I closed my eyes.

"Evidence next ti-Time..." He tried to move away on his own until one of the back up squad members present helped him walk on shaky legs.

I didn't want to feel sorry for him but I couldn't help it. He -was- my best friend...At one point in time anyway...I sighed and closed the laptop, tapping on it's lid. All I need is to wait until I get the recording device Oluo planted on him. Then we'll see where we can go...For now we just have to wait. There's not much we can do...

 

**12:00 P.M**

**Eren's Apartment-**

 

"You can stop throwing up aaaany time you like." Levi rubbed my shoulders while I hurled over the toilet, being hit with the smell of my digestive system's rejected deadly mix.

"Now's not the time for sarcasm!" Before I could take a proper breath I barfed again. This morning, Levi cooked up something for me. I don't even -want- to know what was in it, but he said that it should be a few hours until I started throwing it back up and out, needless to say the timing couldn't have been more perfect. This and the fact that Levi painted over my message on the wall with red paint, so not finger prints could be traced, meant I was, for sure, getting away with what I did.

"You didn't need to eat it all. I did tell you that you'd be throwing it back up." Levi continued, not stopping his hand motions.

"I was hu-huuhhck!"

"Hungry? No shit you were hungry."

I mentally rolled my eyes.

After a short while, I took a few breaths and sat up. Without a word, I stood up, reaching behind me and pulling Levi up with me.

"Could I maybe have a normal breakfast now?" at this, Levi scoffed.

"You sure you won't throw it back up?" The back of my hand met Levi's shoulder.

We both walked into the kitchen, I leaned against one of the counters while Levi reached for the bread near the window.

"You're missing something," He started, carefully setting the bread in the toaster and gently pressing the lever on the metal box down.

I blinked and felt in my pockets of both my shirt and trousers. I had my keys in my pocket, I had my walled in my other pocket...I wasn't missing anything...Was I?

Levi turned.

"Your coat, brat, you're missing your coat."

"Oh, shit! Yeah- My coat...Fuck it...I'll just go back and get it once I've eaten." I smacked my hand to my forehead. How did I forget my coat?

"You sure? I could go get it now if you wanted?" He simply shrugged. At this, I laughed.

"You're just asking to get caught now." I was met with a playful scowl.

"I'll get it. It's fine. Besides, we didn't tell anyone I came home, so, I'll need to go back and let them know where I went anyway."

Levi simply nodded.

"Also, it's quiet, where are Isabel and Farlan?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Damned if I know...They're probably just sight seeing or taking a shit somewhere."


	20. Monday- 12:40 P.M

**12:40 P.M**

**Eren's  Route Home / Eren's Apartment**

 

One quick e-mail was all it took. I let the boss know I was going home and I was out, slinging my coat on walking out of the door.

I was going to get coffee, but decided against it- The last thing I wanted to do was puke again. I'd feed my caffeine addiction another time.

 

Getting to my door, I quickly checked my coat pockets in case something was stolen while it was there...

My hand froze.

The only things that should have been in my pockets were a pen and some spare change...I pulled at the top of my pocket to peer inside and was met with a red light flashing at me...

**What the fuck...**

I narrowed my eyes and opened the door.

"B-!"

I quickly hushed an ecstatic Isabel with a finger over my lips. At her sudden silence, Levi walked behind her, looking at me. He tilted his head to the side with a raised eyebrow. Not even letting out more than a shallow breath, I slowly took the object out of my pocket...

It was a dictaphone. A recording device just about the size of my hand.

That sly BASTARD!

Levi nudged Isabel aside and held out his hand, looking just as pissed off as I did. I hesitantly placed it in his palm and followed him to the kitchen where he threw it into the sink, running hot water over it.

"I don't know why you're being quiet, this thing was a good as crushed when we found it." Levi just watched the water hit it.

"So...They really know there's more than just me here..." Both Farlan and Isabel looked at me.

"So what if they do?" Levi turned.

"It's not like they'll break down your door. Bugging your jacket took some guts. If they were going to break in, they would have done it by now," At this I only nodded.

"-And plus! Big Bro's always smart! 'E'll get us outs of a sitch if someone does break in!" I could only smile slightly at Isabel's optimism.

The boss bugged my jacket...Have they came into contact with these three? Maybe I should just give up...

I flinched at Levi's hand on my shoulder suddenly.

"Eren, listen to me." He spoke softly, his thumb and finger around my chin, forcing me gently to look at him.

"You got this far already. As soon as you get this new boss out of the way, you could take their position and get away with this- All, of this. You're the smartest person I know. You can't give up yet." His lips met mine in a soft, affectionate  kiss which I couldn't help smiling into. I closed my eyes as I kissed back almost instantly.

"I just won't mention it tomorrow if they ask. Maybe they'll think I didn't notice." We both shared a short chuckle before I pulled him in for another kiss, ignoring Isabel's squeal.

 

**Tuesday 12:00 P.M**

**Armin's Office-**

'I hope you are feeling better today. I also noticed your coat was unattended for some time, no one stole anything I hope?

 Your Boss-'

 

I sent the e-mail quickly, desperate for some form of result.

 

**'I'm feeling so much better, thanks for asking. Also, no...Nothing was stolen at all. Everything was fine.**

**Eren-'**

"What-?"

I picked up my phone faster than I could think and rang Oluo.

"Sir-"

"-Did you bug his jacket?" I cut him off.

"I- Yes, Sir, just like you ordered me too-"

"Alright...Then he must have found it and destroyed it then. Nevermind, thank you," I hung up, sighing out of frustration.

 

'Are you sure? If something was out of place, I can get it looked into?

Your Boss-'

I tapped my foot impatiently.

**'You're making it sound like you put something in my jacket. Nothing was out of place at all.**

**Eren- '**

"You smug BASTARD!" I slammed my laptop closed and pushed it aside, letting my head bump off of the desk as I slouched onto it.

"Sir...?" I didn't flinch.

"Yes, Eld?"

"Could you..." I then flinched as I felt a cold hand touch mine.

"...Look at me?" I lifted my head and stared at him.

"What's this about?"

"I was wondering if...You were alright, that's all...I heard you yell...What happened?"

I sighed, ignoring my heart melt at his care filled eyes.

"I got Oluo to bug Eren's jacket...He obviously found it and got rid of it...He's acting like nothing was done in the first place...Eld, I...I don't know if I can do this anymore...I'm just noticing a pattern and..." I looked off to the side.

"Sir..." Eld made his way around the desk, kneeling before me, reaching up to cup my cheek in his hand.

"Erwin chose you to do this because no one else could. I know you can win against him and I'll be here with you through it all. Don't give up, not yet." I smiled at his words.

I know this might be disrespectful to Jean, but...I've accepted now that I've fallen for Eld. Since that car ride, visiting Marie Dok...He's grown on me...I've decided not to focus on my feelings but...Now I can't ignore them. Apparently, Eld must hold the same feelings for me as I do him...

I didn't move, I let his eyes grow closer to mine, both our cheeks dusted pink. Both our eyes flickered from each other's eyes to our lips and back...There was no stopping this...

"Sir?" 

I jumped and turned my attention to the door.

"Ah-Y-Yes, E-Erwin- Wh-What is it-?" I squeaked, resting my elbow on the table and my chin in my hand.

"Oh- Sorry, was I interrupting something?" He looked at both of us with one eyebrow raised.

"Uh- No. N-No, not at all- Eld was just leaving." I coughed and nodded at the bow he gave before he left.

"Right...Well, I have an idea I wanted to share."

I simple nodded more.

"Of course, what is it?"


	21. Wednesday- 10:00 A.M

**Wednesday 5:00 A.M**

**Eren's  Apartment-**

 

"I don't want to go in today...Just five more minutes..."

"You could always call in sick..."

"Nah..."

I sighed and snuggled closer to Levi, my eyes closed. I had about an hour to get ready for work, but when I'm tired I really don't care about time limits. Since there was no hurry to get into work because I'd have nothing to do today, Levi and me were just cuddling on the sofa, feeling time pass.

"MORNIN'!" I suddenly jumped and looked up.

"Oh...Yeah. Morning Isabel." I nodded at her and then snuggled back against Levi. Farlan was probably still asleep in mine and Levi's room. I know I didn't have too, but I felt bad and let the both of them use our bed rather than sleeping on the sofa last night. See? I can be kind.

**When I want to be.**

It wasn't long after Isabel started making herself breakfast that Farlan got up.

"Morning."

"Mh."

That was the best I could give. I was still half asleep.

Listening to the both of them shuffle and joke with each other in the kitchen, I smiled. I didn't hate them and they weren't a struggle anymore...They kind of felt like children...

There's an idea...

"Hey, Levi, do you-"

I was cut off by loud thumping at the door.

"HOUSE INSPECTION!"

**WHAT?!**

Levi jumped forwards, clearly slightly panicked.

"Our room. Hide in our room." I whisper yelled, biting my lip.

"OPEN UP!"

"YES, ALRIGHT, I'M COMING, HOLD ON!" I called back, making sure all three of them got into a hiding spot before I opened the door.

 

"Yes? Thanks for waking me up by the way." I scowled at the old man at the door.

"Oh? Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. You should have got a letter about this." At this, I raised an eyebrow.

"Uhm...Well, unless a letter is now some old guy breaking down my door, no, I didn't get one." I stood back and let him come in.

"We just suspec-" He suddenly held his mouth, my eyes flickered up at him with slight concern.

"Are you...Ok?" I blinked a few times, just looking at him. I could have sworn a saw him swallow blood.

"Mh. I just bit my tongue. Happens all the time,"

I only nodded.

"You were sayi- Hey! Shoes off at the door." I stopped him from walking further in.

He muttered an apology and did as I asked before carrying on.

"We just suspected you had more than one person living with you. Obviously, if your landlord has no idea about this and they aren't paying rent, it's against the law to have people in here in secret." He finished, just looking at me, expecting me to explain myself.

"Well, there are a few things here that aren't mine. I suppose I should let you know that." I looked down the hallway at Isabel's coat which she left in a scrunched up ball on the floor. 

"I had friends over last night and they've left for their work not long ago, but they all left a few of their things here. I was going to return their things to them when they finish work later on." I shrugged; the old guy only nodded.

"I'll still have to look around, if that's alright?" I only nodded.

The man first went into the bathroom. He pulled back the shower curtain, looked around and moved out. I watched him search the living room and the kitchen area while trying to stop my heart for jumping out of my chest. They voices were quiet funny enough...They have been for a while now...

I sat down on the sofa and watched him walk back up the hallway, my heart beat stuttered as the man placed his hands on the bedroom door handle.

'It's going to be fine...They're hiding, they're smart, that won't-"

My thoughts were cut off by a scream.

 

I raced down the hallway and opened the door to see the man laying on his front, Levi on top of him. Both Farlan and Isabel were just standing there watching.

"What the fuck-?"

The room just seemed to freeze.

"Eren, look. I saw that fall out of this guy's pocket." Levi nodded over to the side, I followed his movement and looked at the open wardrobe. I tilted my head at the tiny black square on the floor. Walking over to it, I picked it up...This was the badge all the detectives got at work...

"That's why I didn't get a letter about this. You weren't a house inspection officer at all. The boss must have sent you...And if the boss sent you, that means...." I narrowed my eyes. He was in the new squad the boss has...The boss only has one man left after this. He better use them wisely.  

"If you tell me his name, I won't have you killed." I turned to look at him. He looked back at me from over his shoulder with just as narrowed eyes as mine.

"Who's name?"

"The boss."

"No chance."

I scoffed and walked in front of him, kneeling down to his level.

"You're that loyal?"

The old man did nothing but stare at me in disgust.

"Well. I did give you a chance." I then nodded to Levi and left the room.


	22. Wednesday- 12:00 P.M

**12: 00 P.M**

**Armin's Office-**

I couldn't do anything else but stare at the suitcase in front of me.

"This...This was left outside the door?" Eld nodded at my question, standing beside me.

"Do you want me to open it?" I hesitated before answering Eld's question.

"I think...I think we should open it with Erwin in here too..." He only nodded and took out his phone, calling Erwin in.

I waked around my desk slowly, starting to walk a circle around the case. I could see it was very clean...Like it was -just- bought...But the smell is gave off said otherwise. I couldn't quite place the smell, but it wasn't pleasant either way. I knelt slightly and took the label on it in my hand. It was completely blank...

"Sir- What?" Erwin stopped in the door way, his hand still on the door handle.

"It was left outside...I wanted you in here when we opened it...Tell me you can't smell that." I stood back and walked back behind my desk as Erwin closed the door behind him and took a sniff of the air. He cleared his throat as he made a face.

"I don't think it's a bomb or anything so...I think it should be safe to open in here..." My voice trailed off, looking at Eld and Erwin for support.

That smell...It was just that smell that made me unsure. Why it was left outside the room was also a concerning question.

Eld and Erwin both took a breath and laid the case on it's back, looking at me to make sure I was ready for it to be opened. Crossing my arms, I nodded and bought a finger to my mouth, biting my nail. As soon as they both started pulling at the two zips, it was like time stopped for just a moment. The more it opened the more that God awful smell filled the office. With it unzipped, they both got ready to step back and flipped the top open.

"OH MY GOD, WHAT?!"

Tears filled my eyes; a buzzing noise filled my ears. Erwin only jumped and Eld couldn't stop staring.

Oluo's lifeless, mangled body fit perfectly in the case.

"WHAT KIND OF SADISTIC FUCK-" I turned, both of my hands behind my head, gripping my hair. I took a few breaths but couldn't stop shaking.

"Sir." Eld rushed over to me and gently took my hands, moving them down to my side and holding them.

"Sir, you need to calm down...This is...Awful, but we'll find who's responsible and make sure this doesn't happen again, alright?" I only nodded and took a few deep breaths, still hardly keeping it together.

"We need a way to lure Eren out..." Erwin started, me and Eld both turned.

"If this isn't saying; 'I know what you tried to pull here,' then I don't know what is...If we found a way to out smart him and got a recorded confession out of him, then this would be over. No more games."

Erwin was right...We needed a way to out smart Eren. The only thing that will stop this is a confession. There's no way anything else would work.

"Well, yes, but that could take-"

I was cut off by my phone ringing.

"Excuse me." I quickly picked it up.

"A Marie Dok wishes to speak to you directly." I blinked at the reception's words.

"Marie Dok?" I looked at Eld as I spoke. Remembering the last name, Eld looked back at me in confusion.

"Yes, she says she needs to speak with you urgently."

"Put her through."

"Marie Dok?" Erwin whispered the question.

"The wife of someone Eren murdered a while back." Eld spoke for me and filled Erwin in while I took a few steps away from them.

"H-Hello? Armin?"

She sounded panicked.

"Yes? Marie, what is it? Is everything ok? Where are you? I need to you take deep breaths," I tried my best to calm her down.

"Th-The same ally Nile was killed in. There's screaming. I'm inside, but the children are just as scared."

I nodded and clicked at both Eld and Erwin, cutting off their whispered conversation. They both looked at me instantly.

"We will be there as soon as possible. After we've sorted out the screaming, we'll come and let you know what happened, is that ok?" I jumped slightly, hearing a particularly loud scream, sounding not too far from the phone on her end.

"Y-Yes. Yes thank you- Please hurry up."

"We're heading over there now."

With that, I hung up.

"Sir?"

"There's been a murder in the same place Nile was killed. She said she could hear screaming. Fingers crossed it's Eren."

We all rushed out the door to Eld's car after arming ourselves with guns and mentally preparing ourselves for what would happen...This better be Eren.  


	23. Wednesday- 12:30 P.M

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This took a few drafts-  
> Also, life got in the way...College isn't too far around the corner, so It's a good job that this is the last chapter before the ending...  
> Oh?  
> Didn't I mention-? The next two chapters will be alternate endings. You decide Eren's fate.

**12: 30 P.M**

**The Dok Household-**

 

"Late...We were...Much too late..." The corpse of a blonde young adult with emerald green eyes stared back at me. It looked like she had been shot. There was no large mess, but certain signs of struggle. Perhaps the screaming was just her reaction to seeing the gun and being grabbed...Either way, she wouldn't have died in extreme pain...

"Eld, come with me. We need to check on Maria. Erwin, I want you to stay here and call for this to be cleared up." They both nodded at me and followed my instructions.

"I think...I think, after this, we'll go to my office...I feel like we'll be expecting someone. This just seems too weird to be coincidental."

 

**12: 35 P.M**

**The Dock Household-**

"Eren...You can be a real big - fucking idiot- sometimes..." I muttered, ducking behind a parked car not far from the body. Armin must have already spoken to the people in that house. That's why he's here. If he didn't already speak to them, normal police would be clearing this up. Eren must have killed someone from that family...Farlan was telling me this was where they first met, so Eren must have killed 'Nile Dok'. Was that his name? Farlan told me he was just flirting with teenagers while drunk! Eren, really?! You have killed people for better reasons than that, come on.

I sighed, watching Armin go into the house, leaving the other one from the 'dynamic blonde trio' with the body...Wait...Erwin...? I stood with a smirk, clicking my gun after he put his phone down.

"Erwin Smith?" He span around, taking a step back at the sight of me stepping closer to him.

"It's Levi," I watched his reaction: His blue eyes narrowed, his fists started to clench tightly.

"You haven't forgotten me, have you, old man?"

"How could I not?" A this, I scoffed.

"Why did you do it?"

My head tilted.

"Eren. Why did you manipulate him? I've been told what happened in the ally. It hurts that he lied to me, but I understand why." He growled while I rolled my eyes.

"This conversation agai--" My breath hitched as the collar of my shirt was grabbed.

"There is a dead body right there that you are responsible for. If you want to get apprehended before Eren does, by all means, don't answer me." I narrowed my eyes and stared at him.

"Tch." I pushed him away, fixing my collar after he let go.

"I..." I ignored all the sarcastic remaks running through my head.

"I did it for love. I had someone who owed me a favour get a job with the detective force and get Eren's files for me. The first files you had on him, before all the murders...I took one look and...I suppose I...I wanted him...But before you start, old man- I didn't tell him to kill anyone directly. " Erwin raised an eyebrow.

"He was walking home and saw someone abusing a kid in an ally way...He shot the guy dead out of anger and so it began. First he was killing people who did wrong, like me, then he was killing people who suspected him for murdering the people he did. He didn't kill the detectives though. But I'm sure you've figured that out."

He only sneered at me.

"Selfish-"

"You don't think I already fucking know that?! I know it's a stupid reason but you asked for the truth! Would he really want anything unprofessional with a criminal before he met me? No. Of course not. So if I got inside his head enough, I knew that would change. Look at the past things I've done, I didn't care what happened to him as long as he was mine." I rolled my eyes.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" He crossed his arms.

"Just seeing how things played out. I stole a uniform from a back up squad member and blended in to see how Eren dealt with his murders a while ago now, this is no different, only I pulled the trigger this time." I scoffed at his glare.

"Anyway. The back up you called will be here soon. So I'll get moving. You can tell them it was me all you like, but I don't think it will get you very far."

As I turned to walk away, he put a hand on my shoulder.

"This is going to get you back. All of this is going to catch up to you. When it does, I hope you're ready to face a death penalty. That's what this is going to cost you."

"Oh, is it, really?" I shrugged out of his grip.

"Since Armin's shitty defence line is down to one person and one old man, I think it's about time this cat and mouse game stopped. Don't you?"  

 

** 6:00 P. M  **

**Eren's Apartment.**  

 

"See...New boss...Later...tonight." Levi's words swam through my ears in a broken sentence.

"I'm- I'm sorry, what?!" My heart was pounding in my chest, the voices that had been quiet for so long started giggling.

"You might just see your new boss if you manage to get into his office later on tonight." Levi repeated, crossing his arms casually.

"Is he expecting me there?"

"Probably. I ran into Erwin today. Thanks to you, I nearly got caught." At this, I choked on my coffee.

"You killed Nile Dok, right?" I only nodded.

"Yeah. Well, his wife obviously called in 'the man of the year' rather than the ordinary police. If I took my time, I'd be done for."

Levi was clearly slightly annoyed, but the important thing is that he wasn't caught. Thank God.

"So, maybe after that coffee, you should go and see who your new boss is. The 'defence squad' is down to one man. They obviously called Erwin because they ran out of people."

I sat in silence after that, thinking. It wasn't too long though, before I decided that this was what needed to happen. We wouldn't get any further if things stayed the way they are now.

**'Yes...It's about time this game ended...This was going to happen anyway, right from the start.'**


	24. Wednesday- 6:30 P.M - Good Ending.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One of two alternate endings.  
> Thank you so much for reading...This really isn't my best work, but if you, the reader, enjoyed it, then I'll try to embrace it and enjoy it myself too. Thanks to life being life, I regret that this was updated so slowly, but I'm glad I'm getting closer to finishing it so I can work on other projects. 
> 
> \- Thank you for reading.

**6:30 P.M**

**Armin's Office-**

I ran my fingers through my hair, leaning back in my chair as Erwin left the room.  

He had told me that me and Eld missed Levi showing up earlier when we checked on Maria...Asking if the murder was Levi or Eren's doing was pointless. So far, they seem to be one in the same.

"Do you..." I paused, tilting my head in Eld's direction. I saw him turn to look at me from the corner of my eyes.

"Do you think...All this could be avoided? If we hadn't kept who I was a secret, I feel like more lives would have been saved...Look at the damage that's been done already." At this, Eld moved closer to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"If he knew who you were before now, he would have killed you, wouldn't he? He went off the rails, the damage that's been done couldn't be avoided. I think you've done your job the best you could. That's all the matters. Besides, it's ending now, isn't it?" I looked up at him as he smiled. I was about to nod, when there was a knock at the door. I quickly dove into one of the desk drawers and took out the gun Erwin left in there when he came back. Letting out a shaky breath, I looked at Eld once more.

"Ready when you are, Sir."

"Right."

I took in one more breath and let it out.

"It's open, come in."

I watched the door move slowly. This was it...My 'best friend' who I've known for all my life was about to walk into the room. God...What would his mother think of him? She was always so caring- Maybe a little too caring...But even still...She didn't do anything to deserve a son like Eren...

"For how late it is, it's pretty nice out, don't you think?"

My breath got caught in my throat for a moment.

"L...Levi-? What are you doing here?"

He snickered at my question.

"You think Eren would be so stupid as to not have back up?" As Levi crossed his arms, two more figures wondered in. One of them was a male, taller than Levi. He seemed more serious as he crossed his arms, mimicking Levi, standing behind him...I only recognized him vaguely when the other walked in. Her redish-brown hair framed her face as she walked in with a bounce in her step.

"Whoa-- Huh-?!" She was quickly pulled to a stop by the other, as if instructed, she stood next to him and crossed her arms too.

I sighed. Those were the two who managed to get Eren's files.

"If this is an attempt to 'act big' you're failing."

"Of course they're not 'acting big'. This is just how it felt when you had four people stacked against me." My blood ran cold as Eren's voice rang through my ears. I had to blink back a few tears as he walked into the room with sickening pride.

"Armin..." His eyes weren't the same...There was just -something- about them that was different...Almost as if they were colder and darker than usual.

"Eren..." I could see he was studying me.

"You knew it was me from the start, didn't you...I can't say I'm surprised...But if you were expecting me to be surprised that it was -you- here the whole time, don't bother." He shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Isabel, over there, knew who you were thanks to her sharp ears. They told me it was you on the way here." He tilted his head towards her; My stomach clenched as she smiled, waving at me with the pride of an award winner.

"Before I make the move to arrest you-" I got cut off by him snickering.

"- Which you won't." I sighed at his words.

"I have questions...Why? Why did you do it? You had so much ahead of you...Do you know how many people you've killed?" His eyes seemed to light up.

"Actually, I do. twenty one...Plus."

"Plus?!"

Levi walked forwards and placed his hand on Eren's shoulder.

"I killed Hanji Zoe, but Eren told me to. If you can remember back that far, a shit load of other people crashed the award night, didn't they? I organized it, but that was Eren's orders. So, technically, Eren did it." They both nodded slightly.

"You're going to get put on death row faster than you can say 'what?'. I hope you know that." My eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, yeah. Punish the innocent one why don't you." Eren started walking forwards towards my desk. Without thinking, I instantly held my gun to his head...A shiver ran down my spine as he didn't seem the slightest bit intimidated- He didn't even hesitate.

"Cute. You asked why I did it...I did it, because I was helping people in a way I never could in this place. The police can make arrests, the police and victims and criminals can go to court, but throwing lawyers in makes everything so unjust. Criminals can get an easier life for killing someone by pleading insanity or trusting the lawyer with their life. Before they know it, they're out on the streets and the whole cycle starts again."

I nodded.

"That's true, but murder is still murder-"

"- And who says that murder is wrong if it's done with the intent to protect?-"

"The law-"

"-FUCK THE LAW!"

I flinched.

"You would never understand..."

His eyes narrowed back at me, his teeth clenched...This wasn't the Eren I knew and trusted, this is far from my best friend... 

"You're right...I don't..." The more I thought about it, I could see where he was coming from. But that still doesn't excuse what he's done.

"Why did you kill Jean?" I felt my heart shatter, Eld's question brought back all of the memories I tried so hard not to remember.

"Jean? Oh...Oh yeah...I did kill horse-face, didn't I-" He took a few steps back, a smile of sickening pride on his face.

"Eren." I snapped, tears threatening to spill over.

"He knew too much. That's all. If I wanted to carry on, I wasn't going to let him of all people stop me- how could I? He tried to kill me, so I defended myself and protected my innocence."

My ears seemed to block out everything for a few moment...All I could hear was Jean's voice...That beautiful, soft, heart warming voice I missed so much.

 **'He doesn't deserve to wait until death row. He'll find a way to get himself out...You know what I would do...Do it...'** He had a point...A very large point. Eren avoided getting caught so far and it's been months.

 **'Go on. If you don't, you'll be kicking yourself...I don't want that for you...Go on...You can't join me just yet.'** Those words seemed to be enough to set tears running down my face.

"Eren?"

"Armin?"

My hand shook as I clicked the gun.

**'On the count of three, right?'**

I mentally nodded and leaned back.

**'One,'**

"You're too dangerous to leave for death row,"

**'Two,'**

"I-"

"- I'm so sorry..."

"ARMIN, WAIT--"

**'Three!'**

I pulled the trigger several times, hitting his shoulders, landing a few bullets through his chest. I watched, not being able to feel anything as Levi caught Eren falling back. He clearly wasn't expecting it. His hands cupped Eren's cheeks, but I couldn't hear what he was saying...

**'There...It's over now...Calm down...It's over...'**

"Yeah..." I muttered to myself, shaking.

"It...It's over now..."

"Sir!" Eld  managed to snap me back to my senses. Eren's breathing was ragged and uneven as he whispered back to whatever Levi had said. I wiped my cheeks and quickly stood up as I noticed the two that came in tried to leave.

"Eren won't be able to go anywhere, let's go!" Eld and I took off, out the door. Leaving Eren and Levi behind.

* * *

 

_**Armin's reflection-** _

_ **Three months later.** _

...It was finally over...

I managed to keep Eld and Erwin alive at least...I also kept my own life too...I suppose it could have ended worse...Although...To this day, Jean's voice still guides me. We've managed to improve the detective force so much, that no one could even -attempt- to do what Eren managed without getting caught instantly. just outside the office, there's a memorial for all those who Eren killed, every detective on the force that died and Erwin's Special Operations Squad. In my office, there's also a memorial shrine for Jean. He's not so dead after all...He's in my office every day with me, making sure I don't die...

What about Levi?

He turned himself in. We caught the other two and he turned himself in after he promised Eren he would. When asked his reasoning, he said that, the Eren he met before the killings would have died in pain knowing he didn't solve the case. So, in turning himself in and willingly sitting at death row, 'Detective Eren Jaeger' finally solved the case he got obsessed with...It's...Bittersweet really...

Though, the person this affected the most was Mikasa. We spoke on the phone a week after Eren died...I've made it a rule in the work place that we don't talk about Mikasa...Or Eren for that matter....

That phone call was the last she ever took.


	25. Wednesday- 6:25 P.M - Bad Ending.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For those who wanted Eren to come out on top, this is it. This is an alternate take on the last ending and you can pick how your version of the story ends. Thank you so much for reading. I also want to thank everyone who's commented and lifted my spirits. In all honesty, I know this isn't my best so I get scared that the inbox notification is hiding a negative comment, but that's not happened -at all- and I'm so grateful.
> 
> Thank you again for reading and this concludes the two part series. ^^

_**6:25 P. M** _

_**The Boss's Office-** _

I walked back to work quickly, taking any short cut I could think of. My heart pounding in my head, almost over powering the sound of the voices.

"Eren."

I jumped at Levi's voice. He slowed me down by gently grabbing my arm.

"Before we walk in there and you break down..."

I raised my eyebrow.

"You already know who the boss is...We do as well..."

I turned fully, looking at Levi, then at Isabel and Farlan.

"What...What do you mean-?"

Isabel stepped forwards

"It's 'Armin'."

At her words, I felt a smile tug at my lips. They had to be joking.

"That- That's funny. Real funny." I laughed lightly, feeling my heart drop at the look they all gave me.

"She's not joking, Eren. Your blonde best friend has been behind it the whole time...We saw him when we got your files..."

"Armin...Armin? Of all people-?!" It had only half sunken in, but looking over what happened, I wasn't surprised. When I heard the lab closed, I assumed that the forensics had just moved, so Armin was working somewhere else...I shouldn't have over looked that...God- What a stupid move.

"Eren?" Levi looked a little concerned as I turned my back to the three of them again, hands in my hair.

"It was HIM. Erwin chose HIM over ME?!"

I always knew I was the best the force had, so why did Erwin choose Armin over me?!

"Armin is an IDIOT COMPARED TO ME, WHY WAS HE CHOSEN?! I THOUGHT IT'D BE COMMON SENSE TO PICK ME OVER HIM -ANY DAY-!"

I started walking, now considerably pissed off. How could Erwin make such a stupid mistake? Did he figure out I was murdering people? How?!

"Oh..." I growled as I thought back a little more.

"Erwin knew...That bastard knew it was me behind some of those murders and Hanji probably convinced him...Ugh THAT BITCH! CAN'T SHE STAY DEAD?!"

I barged the doors to the building open, not waiting for the other's.

"I swear to GOD-"

I ran up the stairs, through the offices, but stopped at my desk.

The world seemed to fizzle out as I stared at my chair. I could see myself solving passed murders, coffee in my left hand, papers in my right...I could see all the times Armin sat next to me and worked with me, I saw Erwin walking up to my desk with a smile, congratulating me on solving yet another case...Then I saw myself finding Levi's info for the first time...I saw Annie sitting next to me, always on her phone, I saw how stressed I was and how I changed...And I remembered seeing Armin for the final time before the lab closed...Before he was put in charge...

I snapped back to reality and stormed towards Erwin's office.

"Eren!"

Levi quickly caught up to me and stopped me walking.

"Would you wait a moment-? For **fuck sake** they could have guns aimed at the door, ready to shoot whoever walks in there. Let me and those two go in first, then you'll know you're safe. Alright?"

I shook my head.

"I need to go in there first. If you want to follow me then do, if not, then don't."

"A-At the very least," He took a gun out of his pocket.

"Don't be an idiot."

With that, I took the gun and shoved it in my pocket, walked a little further and knocked on the door.

"It's open, come in."

I didn't need to be told twice.

"It was -you- of all people."

I narrowed my eyes at Armin. He was sitting at Erwin's desk with his arms crossed.

"That's **Erwin's** chair and **Erwin's** desk. This is **Erwin's room** -"

"- **It was**. Erwin didn't want a murderer in his place so he chose me."

I scowled at him and growled.

"The least you could have done was -told- me who you were. You had your chances."

He laughed at that.

"Oh- And would that have stopped you murdering innocent people?"

Clicking my tongue, I crossed my arms too.

"They weren't innocent. Maybe everyone was to -dumb- to notice, but I didn't kill for no reason. The justice system is flawed beyond belief and killing the criminals is a faster way to get rid of them. I was doing my job more effectively."

Armin stood up, leaning on Erwin's desk.

"What you were doing, was illegal-"

"-It was the right thing to do."

I walked forwards and lent on Erwin's desk as well, gritting my teeth.

"Murder is still murder."

"- And murder with intent for the better shouldn't be frowned on."

"The law says-"

"They law says a lot of things, Armin, but my morals are in the perfect place."

He moved back.

"Are they, really?" He drew his gun from a drawer in Erwin's desk and pointed it at me.

"We were thinking of putting you on death row, or at least appealing for it. But I've been thinking that, that's not enough for you."

I smirked at the darkness in his eyes.

"So you'll shoot your best friend?"

"I'm only following your morals, Eren."

I pulled my gun from my pocket, mimicking Armin.

"I also killed anyone who knew. I went after your loyal squad one by one until there was one left. I'm not even going to ask where he is because I'm sure I'll find him later. In fact, do you want to know how Jean died?"

I watched his eye twitch.

"He knew. He knew way too much. He mocked me and came at me with a knife. So, I slid my hand under his glove and flipped the situation. That's why my finger prints weren't on the weapon."

His stance weakened.

"He didn't even call out for you, you know. His last words had nothing to do with you...I don't even think he was thinking about you when he died-"

"SHUT UP!"

I smirked at the tears falling from Armin's eyes, the voices in my head laughing at the situation loudly.

"Do you want this to end painlessly or what?"

He didn't even look up at me.

"You really have lost it...Haven't you?" I could see he was starting to shake.

"I've killed over twenty one people, what did you expect?"

He didn't answer.

"Well...It's been fun...But I'll have to end it here...Hanji thought she could catch me, but she wasn't good enough. What made you think you were any different?"

I snickered at his silence.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you're buried next to Jean."

With that, I pulled the trigger and watched him fall back, the bullet through his skull killed him instantly.

 

_**Eren's reflection** _

_**Three months later.** _

 

Erwin's desk and Erwins' chair are mine. The whole building is mine. Unfortunately, thanks to an "accident" Erwin isn't around anymore...I forced him to sign over everything to me and gun point and killed him right then and there. Levi, Isabel and Farlan's jobs haven't changed and everything is pretty much back to normal. I haven't been able to commit too many "crimes" but I can protect Levi better in the spot that I'm in. I've lost touch with Mikasa and haven't told her about Armin's death. Speaking of, I kept my word and made sure he was buried next to Jean. I visit his grave every morning and tell him how things are going and leave a few flowers if I can. To be honest, I don't think I've ever been happier.


End file.
